In a welcome show of interest after a two-year lull, domestic cricket returned to Mutare a fortnight ago with the start of a new 30-over knockout competition. Called the Oliver Jordan Cup in memory of the beloved player/administrator Alderman `Olly’ Jordan, who died last year, five teams will contest this new trophy. Donated by his son Mark – a lawyer residing in Yorkshire – this competition revives a pre-season tradition (not played for ten years or more) once known as the Athenides Cup. In another salute to his memory, the new media centre at Mutare Sports Club has been named the Oliver Jordan Score Box in recognition of the countless occasions he scored for Manicaland.Two new teams are contesting this competition – the Development X1 (drawn from the mostly black high-density suburbs) and Hillcrest College. The other sides are Mutare Sports Club, Easterns and Casuals. All five will additionally play in the Mutare league, revived by the new committee after years of serious decline.Results of matches in the Jordan Trophy so far have put old rivals Casuals and M.S.C. into next week’s final, with the youthful M.S.C. overwhelming favourites. Casuals will take some pleasure from progressing to the finals with their forty-something side, whilst the ever-mercenary M.S.C. have poached five Academy professionals in a bid for elusive honours.Most of the academy coaches have arrived back in Mutare in readiness for Manicaland’s national league program that starts on 21 October. Neil Ferreira has been confirmed as both captain and chief coach, in charge of coordinating and monitoring Manicaland’s coaching staff. This is likely to be a bigger job than he bargained for, given the reputation some coaches earned last year for spending more time chatting up schoolgirls than working at the nets.At the Manicaland A.G.M. a month ago Mark Burmester was elected chairman, despite an impending move to Juliasdale (100 kilometres north) to become a potato farmer. He takes over the role from his father Greville who managed the job from the slightly closer locality of Bvumba (35 kilometres south). Kevan Barbour (president), Tony Cumming (treasurer) and Suku Naik (Harare representative) were re-elected en bloc, whilst newcomers Brian Moore (vice Chairman/domestic cricket fixtures), Andrea Moore (secretary), Alan Walsh (domestic clubs), Joel Muzeya (low/high density schools) and Humphrey Tait (private schools) complete the new-look committee. Brian Moore and his wife Andrea are new to Mutare from Masvingo, where they were heavily involved in Lowveld cricket administration.It is envisaged that the committee will run Manicaland cricket along the lines of its parent body the Z.C.U. — individuals being identified with specific jobs. It is also hoped the Z.C.U. will appoint a full-time (paid) administrator to direct this (unpaid) committee, plus oversee all other cricket business in the province. The Z.C.U. have been promising provincial administrators for a couple of years and a board of control meeting this week should ratify this and other new national posts. The jobs will then be advertised in the national press.

New Zealand made a steady start against the Queensland Academy of Sport team in the first match of their Australian tour at Allan Border Field today.At lunch on the first day of the four-day match, the Black Caps were 3-78, with captain Stephen Fleming on five and Nathan Astle yet to score.Opener Mark Richardson top-scored with 40, while Matthew Bell made eight and Mathew Sinclair 17 in excellent batting conditions.Bell was the first batsman out when he was trapped LBW failing to offer a shot to much-hyped teenage quick Mitchell Johnson (1-24).Sinclair was bowled by emerging quick Damien Mackenzie (1-12) while Richardson, who looked sharp at the crease, fell to a catch behind off off-spinner ScottO’Leary (1-5).Richardson brought about his own downfall with an ill-judged drive at O’Leary’s first ball, providing wicketkeeper Chris Hartley with a juggled catch.The Black Caps arranged the four-day match in Brisbane after their Test tour to Pakistan was cancelled because of the terrorist strikes in the United States.The visitors named their regular Test batting line-up along with frontline bowlers Dion Nash and Daniel Vettori.

Promising Canterbury batsman Shanan Stewart has been named in Canterbury’s squad of 13 for the State Championship which starts next Monday with the first game of the summer, against Wellington at Rangiora.The New Zealand Under-19 batsman and Academy player this year will be surrounded by experienced quality batsmen as Canterbury looks to regain the winning formula, not only in one-day cricket but also the four-day variety, under the leadership of the experienced Gary Stead.Stead is set to play his 50th game for the province and is only one run short of 2500 runs for Canterbury at an average of 37.29 – an average only bettered by Graham Dowling, Walter Hadlee and Chris Harris among those to have scored more than 2500 runs for the province.Chris Harris, until One-Day International requirements take him out of the scene, will be another to provide some security for the younger batsman.Canterbury’s attack also shapes as promising with the experience of pace man Warren Wisneski available again and surrounded by able support in Stephen Cunis, Wade Cornelius and Ryan Burson among the pace bowlers with Paul Wiseman, Harris and Aaron Redmond to look after the spin demands.Canterbury selection convener Craig Thiele said tonight he felt the side named had the potential to compete.While Canterbury had performed consistently in the one-day game, reaching the finals of the competition it had dominated last year, it had not performed in the four-day game over the last two summers.Thiele said he wanted to see more emphasis on the longer version of the game.The State Canterbury side for the State Championship is: Gary Stead (captain), Brad Doody, Jarrod Englefield, Michael Papps, Chris Harris, Aaron Redmond, Shanan Stewart, Gareth Hopkins, Paul Wiseman, Warren Wisneski, Stephen Cunis, Wade Cornelius, Ryan Burson.The Canterbury Draught A training squad to prepare for country match starting on December 1 is: Robbie Frew, Robbie Miller, Marcel McKenzie, Peter Fulton, Darren Reekers, Tim Papps, Mark Hastings, Ben Yock, Chris Sowden, Cleighten Cornelius, Carl Anderson, Andrew Ellis, Brendan Diamante, James Ward, Michael Davidson.

Hampshire all-rounder Alex Morris, belayed any further speculation to his future by signing a new two year contract.Morris (25) was a prominent member of Hampshire’s 2001 promotion winning squad, taking 51 wickets (28.00) and scoring 423 vital runs. Morris saved the day down the order on numerous occasions when the middle order batting had faltered. He played in just five limited overs matches in 2001, the four Benson & Hedges and one Cheltenham and Gloucester trophy game. With his tendency towards shin problems the coaches felt it was better to save him for the 4-day cricket.Tim Tremlett, Hampshire’s Director of Cricket was delighted that Alex had committed his immediate future with the club, “This likable Yorkshire born cricketer, is a popular member of the squad, and he has proved to one of our top all-round cricketers.”Zac Morris, who joined Hampshire at the same time as his elder brother was not retained after the 2001 season.

It looks as if England will be forced to change the venue of their three-day game against Otago – one of two scheduled warm-up matches for the Tests on their forthcoming tour of New Zealand.England were to play the match on the Carisbrook ground in Dunedin between March 2nd and 4th. Not only will this be a vital part of the tourists’ preparation for the first Test starting in Christchurch on March 13th, but it would have also been a focal point for the Otago Cricket Association’s 125th anniversary celebrations.However, the Carisbrook ground is owned by the Otago Rugby Union and it decided to hold a Super 12 rugby match on the evening of March 2nd. The rugby authority said that it would be fine for their cricketing counterparts to work around that fixture, but cricket would have had to make all the compromises.This could have meant starting the match two days early, playing longer hours to allow a 3 o’clock finish on the Saturday, or start the game the day after the rugby.According to a spokesman for Otago Cricket, these were not feasible alternatives and they are hopeful of being able to take the match to Queenstown – perhaps one of the most scenic cricket grounds in the world.Meanwhile, it might be that England’s experience of playing under floodlights during daylight hours in Bangalore will pay dividends when it comes to the Christchurch Test.The Jade Stadium’s chief executive, Bryn McGoldrick, has pointed out that shadows from a newly constructed rugby stand at the ground are likely to encroach onto the square by the early afternoon. To avoid a serious disruption to play, the floodlights can be used to “fill in” areas of shadow.

Dialog GSM, Sri Lanka’s leading mobile phone operator, has signed a one-yeardeal with the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL) to becometheir official mobile communications supplier for the year 2002.The deal includes the provision of mobile phones to cricket board staffmembers and national players. In addition, the board will receive anundisclosed sponsorship fee.Apart from being granted official status, Dialog GSM pick up various cricketboard advertising properties, including two ground runners per internationalmatch.The agreement replaces a previous one-year deal with Mobitel, who had beenthe first mobile operator to tie-up with the cricket board.But Mobitel will still retain their foothold in the cricket market havingsigned up several leading Sri Lankan players, including captain SanathJayasuriya, Mahela Jayawardene and Muttiah Muralitharan, for lucrativeendorsement deals.These existing contracts, due to run up until the 2003 World Cup, will notbe threatened by the Dialog GSM according to board sources. However,contracted players will not be able to sign endorsements deals with DialogGSM’s competitors.Dialog GSM will also become the official sponsor for the Under-19 cricketteam for a one-year period, with the highest profile event being theUnder-19 World Cup in New Zealand starting Monday.

Queensland left hander Matthew Hayden has tonight capped a sensational 12 months by being named the 2002 Allan Border Medallist. At a glittering black-tie function here at the Crown Casino in Melbourne, the opening batsman’s insatiable run scoring over the past year ensured that he became the third player in history to win Australian cricket’s most coveted individual award.Hayden, 30, honoured his status as the pre-count favourite by recording a seven-vote win over leg spinner Shane Warne. Wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist ended the night in third place.It was only narrowly short of being the biggest margin of victory in the award’s three-year history, following Glenn McGrath’s 10-vote win in 2000. Steve Waugh triumphed by only one vote in a desperately tight triumph last year.The award – an annual honour which recognises Australia’s highest-performing player over the previous 12 months – is a tribute not only to Hayden’s skill. But also to his consistency over the total of 14 Test and 19 one-day international matches played by Australia over the 12 months between February 2001 and February 2002.”I’ve kept the game very simple throughout these last 12 months,” said Hayden after his win.”I believed that I could play the sort of cricket for Australia that I have done at other levels.”I really appreciate the opportunities (that I’ve been given) by the selectors. At the end of the day, they’ve believed (in me) and it’s been a great honour to be able to start paying the selectors back that belief.”The Queenslander enjoyed a remarkable 12 months at the head of his country’s batting order as a career that has yielded a glut of runs at domestic level in both Australia and England translated itself into equivalent success in the game’s top flight.He dominated Australia’s ill-fated Test tour of India in March and April, setting the tone for a memorable year by more than doubling the run output of any other Australian player in the series. In all, he amassed 549 runs at the phenomenal average of 109.80.Late in the year, a record-breaking association with fellow left hander Justin Langer at the top of the order helped to decisively confirm his berth among Australia’s elite and to rewrite existing marks for first wicket partnerships at international level.Their batting – which produced an amazing five double century partnerships in the space of seven Tests – represented the highlight of Australia’s home campaigns against New Zealand and South Africa between November and January.Hayden’s Ashes series in England in the middle of 2001 was underwhelming by comparison but still failed to threaten his status as a runaway winner.During that period, his right of passage to the award was challenged briefly by both Warne and Gilchrist.But he polled so strongly at both ends of the voting period that they were never a genuine chance of catching him.Hayden duly becomes the third player to win the award but the first from outside New South Wales.In other award categories, Hayden was also named Australia’s outstanding Test player of the year, and Ricky Ponting its best at one-day international level.South Australian captain Darren Lehmann was honoured as State Player of the Year for a remarkable third time in succession; boom Tasmanian all-rounder Shane Watson as Young Cricketer of the Year; and Greg Chappell and Stan McCabe were elevated to the select band of cricketers who form Australia’s Hall of Fame.National vice-captain Karen Rolton also carved her own slice of history by becoming the inaugural recipient of the Women’s International Cricketer of the Year award.

It may already be too late for Nuwan Zoysa, Sri Lanka’s languid and lankyleft-arm medium pacer, to rescue his flagging international career in timefor the World Cup.After a pedestrian performance in Sri Lanka’s practice game againstAustralia A the knives are already being drawn with the selectors apparentlydetermined to drop him at the first opportunity.Should he return to Colombo after the first part of the tour it will be thesecond time he has been axed from the side in the year following hispost-England tour omission.

Zoysa, a tea-taster before he became a professional cricketer, was onlyrecalled on the insistence of skipper Sanath Jayasuriya, who had worn wearyof his bowlers in South Africa.Those who had witnessed his domestic performances for the Sinhalese SportsClub had warned against his inclusion but Jayasuriya forced the selector’shand.But Zoysa, now 25, is determined to prove his worth if he is provided achance in the third game of the series.”This is a very good opportunity for me,” he says. “I really want to play inthis World Cup and that means I have to put up a very good performance if Iget a game.”He claims to have worked hard on his game since the England tour when he wassharply criticised for his lackadaisical approach.”Since the England tour I have been working hard in domestic cricket – Iknow now that I have to put my maximum to each delivery and spell,” he said.”In club cricket I have been bowling really well – although I have notreally been picking up the wickets – and I hope to continue that form inAustralia.He is also keen to play his part with the bat, aware that Sri Lanka’sfragile lower order needs bolstering before the World Cup.”Not only is it a good opportunity for me to reclaim my place with the ballbut I am also looking to contribute with the bat – the lower order needs tocontribute more.”But the suspicion remains that Zoysa, an affable and well-liked cricketer,will not be travelling to South Africa unless he suddenly regains his bestform.>From some reason his pace has dropped alarmingly – during the Australia Agame he was so pedestrian that he was reverse swept contemptuously.Worse, he has seemingly lost the control that had once been a hallmark ofhis bowling.With Sri Lanka needing to name their 15 players for the World Cup by Dec 31,Sunday’s match against Australia would be his last chance to press hisclaims for a place.Sri Lanka are set to select five pace bowlers, four of whom are virtuallycertain of their places: Chaminda Vaas, Dilhara Fernando, Prabath Nissankaand Pulasthi Gunaratne.That means that Zoysa is competing with the likes of Sujeewa de Silva,Buddika Fernando, Kaushalya Weereratne and Hasantha Fernando for the finalberth.

India will leave a decision on whether ace batsman Sachin Tendulkar will be able to help their attempt to win the second One-Day International against New Zealand at Napier tomorrow until a fitness test in the morning.Tendulkar turned his ankle bowling the last ball of the side’s practice session before the first match in the National Bank Series and was ruled out of the game.However, Harbhajan Singh and Sanjay Bangar will both be considered for inclusion in the side after being passed fit yesterday.Indian captain Sourav Ganguly said Tendulkar would have a fitness test but he felt he would be fit for consideration.Ganguly said he was sure his batsmen were one innings away from hitting form.”Spending some time in the middle, having a few balls hitting the middle of the bat early in the innings does more for your confidence than a week in the nets,” he said.It was important that batsmen stick to what has worked for them in the past.Napier had a reputation for being a good pitch, it had been on India’s previous tour in 1998/99 and had been good for their opening match on this tour, a three-day game against Central Districts.”We are keen, we have worked hard on our game since the start of the series and I think it is a matter of winning one game. We’ve come close in Hamilton, in Auckland where we couldn’t take the last two or three wickets.”It’s a matter of one win,” he said.

2 YEAR FIXED TERM CONTRACTClosing date for applications: 7 February 2003The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is the national governing body for cricket from playground to Test arena. Its Performance Department is responsible for identifying and developing the most talented young cricketers in the country, and the development and implementation of national development and coaching programmes.In order to continue the substantial progress made to date, the ECB, with support from Sport England, is seeking to appoint a Fast Bowling Coach to work directly with the ECB National Academy during its winter programme and with all England’s World Class Potential / Performance squads throughout the year.The successful applicant will have appropriate high-level fast bowling coaching experience, a good knowledge of first-class and international cricket and have passed the ECB Level III coaching award or international equivalent. In addition, applicants will be required to demonstrate extensive experience of video / computer analysis systems, a detailed knowledge of bowling biomechanics and a sound understanding of injury prevention and conditioning for fast bowlers.The Fast Bowling Coach will be based in Loughborough, Leicestershire, reporting directly to the National Academy Director.For an information pack and application form please contact:Natasha Mason, ECB, Lord’s Cricket Ground, London NW8 8QZ.
Tel: 020 74321 171. E-mail: [email protected]