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Australia’s leg-spinning maestro Shane Warne has sent out a huge warning to England as they prepare for the Ashes series, smashing more Test records in what has become a rejuvenation of his career against Pakistan.Pakistan were 47 runs behind Australia’s first-innings score of 444 with only two of their second innings wickets remaining in the third Test. Warne has three for 56 in the innings and Glenn McGrath three for 18.Playing in Sharjah, where the black gold of oil has created great wealth, Warne has bowled into a rich vein of his own and has smashed the Australian record for most wickets in a three-Test series.He has taken 27 wickets so far to move past Dennis Lillee, who took 23 in the 1979/80 series against England. Warne’s wickets have come at an incredible average of 12.66 runs per wicket.Warne has given himself every chance of becoming only the second player to take 500 wickets during the Ashes series, as he has now taken 477 wickets in his 104 Tests at an average of 25.73. Only West Indian Courtney Walsh has taken more Test wickets – 519.Warne has also moved into equal seventh place on the list of wickets taken in three-Test-match series, a position he shares with Pakistan’s Waqar Younis.Warne’s best figures in any series are the 34 he took on his first tour of England in 1993.If getting some respite from Warne is not enough, pace-man Glenn McGrath moved past the 400-mark in the same innings, only the second Australian to take that many wickets.McGrath, in his 87th Test, has now taken 403 wickets at 21.52.Those ahead of him are: Walsh, Warne, Kapil Dev (434), Richard Hadlee (431), Muttiah Muralitharan (430), Wasim Akram (414) and Curtly Ambrose (405).Most wickets for Australia in a three-Test series:

Runs  Wkts Avge342   27   12.66   SK Warne             Australia v Pakistan         2002/03388   23   16.86   DK Lillee            Australia v England          1979/80388   23   16.86   R Benaud             Australia v India            1956/57261   21   12.42   CTB Turner           Australia v England          1888438   21   20.85   GD McGrath           Australia v Sri Lanka        1995/96452   21   21.52   DK Lillee            Australia v India            1980/81540   21   25.71   DK Lillee            Australia v Pakistan         1976/77417   20   20.85   SK Warne             Australia v South Africa     1997/98442   20   22.10   SK Warne             Australia v South Africa     2001/02446   20   22.30   B Yardley            Australia v West Indies      1981/82Most wickets by all countries in three-Tests:Runs  Wkts  Avge203   35   5.80   GA Lohmann           England v South Africa       1895/96401   33  12.15   RJ Hadlee            New Zealand v Australia      1985/86545   32  17.03   Harbhajan Singh      India v Australia            2000/01294   30   9.80   M Muralitharan       Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe         2001/02437   30  14.56   Abdul Qadir          Pakistan v England           1987/88315   29  10.86   Waqar Younis         Pakistan v New Zealand       1990/91342   27  12.66   Shane Warne          Australia v Pakistan         2002/03373   27  13.81   Waqar Younis         Pakistan v Zimbabwe          1993/94270   26  10.38   C Blythe             England v South Africa       1907401   26  15.42   WPUJC Vaas           Sri Lanka v West Indies      2001/02

Five hundred runs scored in 77.1 overs, one explosive hundred, four other scores over 70, as many as 56 boundaries and seven sixes struck. What more could the Rajkot crowds want from the third one-dayer? You better travel to the venue yourself and put that question to the idiots who rained bottles down on West Indian fieldsmen to cause a stoppage in play. Chasing 301, India were in a strong position at 200/1 after 27.1 overs when the players were forced off the field. When it became impossible to resume play, India were named winners by 81 runs, by the Duckworth-Lewis method.This series has been characterised by boorish behaviour from crowds, mediocre bowling from both sides and some typically aggressive batting that has seen West Indies take a 2-0 lead. On the day, India responded with style and substance. Chasing a mammoth 301 for an unlikely win, India’s openers showed why they are among the most dangerous in international cricket.On the back of two failures, Virender Sehwag launched a fiery assault that will be etched in the West Indian psyche for some time to come. After having torched New Zealand, slamming a 69-ball century against them in August 2001, and torn apart England, reaching three figures in 77 balls in a Champions Trophy match recently, Sehwag decided to let the men from the Caribbean feel the fury of a one-day ton from his blazing willow. His 75-ball hundred in the third one-dayer at Rajkot made him just the second batsman after Sanath Jayasuriya to score three ODI tons in less than 80 balls. But that in itself is not a profound statistic.What is of profound relevance is the manner in which India set about chasing a conventionally huge target, making it look simple. Where Sehwag was brutal, Ganguly was elegant. Where the West Indian bowlers were beside themselves with agony, the Indian openers rejoiced in the joy and simplicity of clean hitting.The carnage began early, with Ganguly hitting the seventh ball of the innings to the fence. The captain had opened the sluice gates and the Sehwag flood ensued. Cutting and driving through the offside, along the ground and in the air, Sehwag could not put a foot wrong, beating the field at will. When the bowlers, forced to adjust their line, drifted towards the pads, the response was less brutal, if no less effective. Sehwag moved across his stumps and wrists of steel sent the ball scurrying to the fence.Whilst the bowlers were being battered at one end, Ganguly seemed to tickle them into submission at his end. Moving towards the line and pitch of the ball with an economy of effort that signaled his form, the Indian skipper eased the ball through the gaps and pinged the advertising hoardings on the off side.When the 15-over mark came around, India were sitting pretty at 120 forno loss and the fielding restrictions were lifted. In the absence of Carl Hooper, missing the game with a knee injury, skipper Ridley Jacobs took this as a golden chance to stem the run flow. Cameron Cuffy bowling a decent line and length, suggested that there might be some hope for Jacobs. The very hint of such a thought seemed to annoy the well-set Indian openers.Ganguly used his feet to come down the wicket, Sehwag gave himself a bitof room, and all of a sudden no length was restrictive enough, no line tight enough. Against the run of play, well after the record first wicket stand against West Indies was erased, Ganguly (72, 83 balls, 9 fours) fell. Trying to clear mid off, while coming down the wicket and giving himself a bit of room, Ganguly could only watch as a diving Chanderpaul snapped up a sharp catch.VVS Laxman, who made 99 in the last match, was at the crease, and had not yet got off the mark, when play was stopped by the mindlessness of a certain section of spectators. A bewildered Sehwag, batting on a cracking 114 (82 balls, 17 fours 2 sixes) walked off the field, jousting light-heartedly with Marlon Samuels as policemen took control of the stands.Earlier in the day, West Indies provided their own brand of entertainment, and let no one forget that, by reaching 300/5 from 50 overs. Chris Gayle began the charge for the visitors, clattering the ball through the offside with gay abandon. His 68-ball 72 provided the launching platform from which Ramnaresh Sarwan and Shivnarine Chanderpaul could build a sizable total. Posting a 149-run fourth wicket partnership, Chanderpaul (74) and Sarwan (87) took West Indies to striking distance of a mammoth score before they both fell in the end overs. Ricardo Powell, then, applied the finishing touches with 19 from 18 balls, that included one tremendous six that came off the hapless Ajit Agarkar in the final over.While it is a touch unfair to single out Agarkar for being scored heavily against, he did make a strong case for such treatment, giving away 63 runs from six overs. What then would you say to Merv Dillon (6 overs 40 runs), Cameron Cuffy (6 overs 41 runs), Chris Gayle (18 from one thunderous over) and Mahendra Nagamootoo (5 overs 43 runs)? Nothing more than, hard luck chaps, that’s one-day cricket sometimes.But what do you say when a match is abandoned because of boorish behaviour? Does the match referee award the game to the touring side to send out a loud, clear signal? Do police clear stands out and play `behind closed doors’? Or do we take games away from troublesome venues?One thing is clear, the International Cricket Council cannot remain silent on this issue anymore.

Hampshire have lodged an appeal with the England and Wales Cricket Board over their eight County Championship point deduction enforced for the state of the pitch during the game with Lancashire last week.Having lodged the appeal within the 24-hour time limit permitted for appeals, Hampshire are now waiting on a time and place for the hearing, which will be heard in front of an ECB panel soon.

LONDON – Mark Waugh can see the signs and knows what they mean.Make runs against Pakistan, or your international cricket career isover.And like his twin, Steve, who is at a similar crossroad, he has come toEngland for a lightning stint in county cricket to get his eye in andsome runs on the board in time for Australia’s relocated three-Testseries against Pakistan in Sri Lanka and Sharjah next month.Waugh, who has not played since Australia’s last Test against SouthAfrica in April, arrived in London today to play the last four games ofthe county season for Essex, while Steve is one match into his similarstint with Kent.The 37-year-old twins were dropped from the national one-day side lastseason and speculation mounted over their places in the Test team aftera lean summer each against New Zealand and South Africa.And Mark acknowledged the Pakistan series was his last chance to ensurehe stayed in the team for the home Ashes series against England.”I don’t feel under pressure but I know I’ve got to make runs in thePakistan series,” he said.”If I don’t make runs there, I don’t think I’ll be playing in the Ashes,so it’s up to me to perform now.”I’m not stupid, I know when the signs are there. But I think I’mbatting well enough to make runs.”Last season I was getting to 30 and 40 pretty easy and I was justgetting out. I’ve just got to convert those scores to some big scores.”While his Test career is in the balance, Waugh, one of the all-timegreat limited overs batsmen, has all but given up hope of a return toAustralia’s one-day team.”I’d like to play one-day cricket but realistically it’s a forlornchance, but you never know. If players get injured or lose form and I’mplaying well, they might look for experience,” he said.”They’ve not gone totally but I wouldn’t say my chances are great.”It is disappointing because I still think I’m good enough to play atthat level.”Cricket was not his primary reason for coming to England, with booksignings and promotions for his recently released biography his firstengagement.Essex, with whom he has spent four seasons in the 1980s and ’90s,coincidentally contacted him when he was due over here for businessanyway and he jumped at the chance.He hinted he could return to Essex to see out his career.”It depends on how long I play for Australia, if this season goes wellwith Australia then probably not, if it doesn’t then I might come back.”He plays his first game next week but will not get to play against Stevein either a championship or one-day match.

England lost the important wicket of Marcus Trescothick after Sri Lanka declared on 555 for eight at Lord’s in the first Test. Although their bowlers kept to a more consistent line than yesterday, England again found wickets hard to come by as Marvan Atapattu (185) Aravinda de Silva (88) and Russel Arnold (50) kept the crowd entertained while amassing their team’s highest-ever Test total on this ground. England closed on 27 for one in reply.After a starting with a flourish (and two off-side boundaries) off Nuwan Zoysa, Trescothick was undone by a ball that left him down the slope, edging a catch to Sanath Jayasuriya at first slip. Michael Vaughan and Mark Butcher then saw England through to the close.This morning Atapattu picked up from where he left off last night, flicking the first ball from Hoggard to the mid-wicket boundary. He completed his 150 with a rasping cut, and Hussain then missed de Silva on 37 at first slip. It was academic, as Flintoff had over-stepped. Sri Lanka’s doyen of batsmen celebrated with a dreamy drive to the cover boundary.Hoggard replaced Caddick but was punished again by Atapattu, with boundaries through square leg and extra cover. The Sri Lankan opener was missed (on 163) in the same over, Flintoff failing to hold on to a low chance to his left at second slip. He then missed de Silva off Caddick in the next over, an edge from a flashing cut finishing at the third man boundary. On reaching his 50 de Silva enjoyed further good fortune, edging a flashing drive off Cork wide of second slip to the rope at third man.It took a short, leg-side delivery from Cork to break through, as Atapattu failed to get on top of a hook and Marcus Trescothick had plenty of time to position himself for the catch at long leg. Atapattu and de Silva had added 146 for the fourth wicket, just three runs short of Sri Lanka’s best against England. Atapattu’s 185 included 24 fours and came off 351 balls.The left-handed Arnold then resumed normal service, finding the cover boundary twice off Flintoff, then cutting another as the same bowler dropped short in his next over. Caddick’s return lasted just four overs for 20, including a fierce hook from de Silva, which was deflected several yards off a boundary board. As the sun broke through the haze Arnold responded warmly, taking two to third man with a delightful cut.A push to mid-wicket off Vaughan took Arnold through to 50 (87 balls, seven fours), and in celebration de Silva swept Vaughan behind square to the rope beneath the Father Time clock tower. Arnold perished as he had lived – in pursuit of quick runs – as an upper cut off Hoggard unerringly pinpointed the ubiquitous Trescothick, who again made no mistake at third man. The return of Cork resulted in de Silva (88) following Arnold back to the pavilion eight balls later. It was a soft dismissal, a short, leg-side delivery brushing the batsman’s glove on its way through to Stewart.Vaas fell for six, driving loosely at Cork for – guess who – Trescothick to pick up the catch at gully. Zoysa then delighted the crowd – doubtless arousing rather different sentiments in Hoggard – with a brace of hooked sixes into the Tavern in one over.Zoysa (28) was out in similar fashion to de Silva earlier in the day, getting an inside edge as he tried to glance an innocuous-looking delivery from Flintoff to give Stewart a straightforward catch. Tillekeratne and Buddika then saw Sri Lanka to 555 for eight before Jayasuriya declared. The England bowling figures did not make pleasurable reading.

Who could hit a cricket ball the greatest distance: Chris Cairns, Nathan Astle, Craig McMillan, Andre Adams, Chris Harris, Mathew Sinclair, Jacob Oram, Shane Bond?Why not find out?Just in case you hadn’t noticed it’s all-star baseball time in the United States at the moment and part of this time-honoured event is the annual home run derby.In a sports world dominated by American marketing, you would have to ask the question what value there might be in New Zealand holding a six-hitting derby, and while you’re at it how about a quest to find the fastest bowler in New Zealand?Tie it in with an all-up day for young players by having TelstraClear Black Caps and White Ferns signing autographs and holding specialised coaching sessions and you have a relatively cheap marketing exercise.Watching big-hitting legends like Sammy Sosa blast a baseball 520 feet with the crowd roaring the ball all the way was a sight to see.Five hits over 500 feet from the maestro in his first round of hitting had the crowd roaring.Can cricket afford to miss out on the sort of feeling this could develop among cricket fans? It may take a season of television coverage to get the public to catch on, but the idea must have some value.Clearly, if such a scheme was developed, the key things would be an appropriate way of measuring the longest hit, and a suitable surface to do it on.But with the portable pitch technology, and their boundary proximity, Eden Park or Jade Stadium would make perfect locations for an early season promotion.New Zealand Cricket has a Max tournament to launch its seasons. Why not incorporate the six hitting derby and the fast bowling derby into that weekend?Why stop in New Zealand?What a perfect method of launching a World Cup. Finding out just who is the biggest hitter in the world game would be an outstanding prospect.Could it happen?Watch this space!

Somerset County Cricket Club have been so overwhelmed by standard of the nominations for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award medals that they have decided to increase the number that are going to be presented.Originally it was planned to present just twelve of the medals to the most deserving individuals in Somerset who have dedicated their time in a voluntary capacity to one cricket club.Numerous nominations for the medals were received by Somerset Cricket Development Officer Andrew Moulding, but when it came down to deciding who the lucky recipients were going to be it proved to be an impossible task.Andrew Moulding told me: "The club has had a fantastic response to the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award, and the level of nominations has been so impressive that it has been impossible to sort out the twelve most deserving cases."Mr Moulding continued: "They have all been fantastic applications, for instance one person who was nominated had given sixty six years of service to one club, fifty of which he had been on the committee. In his years with the club he had been a player, secretary, groundsman and umpire. That’s an impressive record, and there are any number that are just as impressive in their own ways."The Cricket Development Officer told me: "After discussion it has now been decided to increase the number of Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award medals from twelve to fifty, and even then it will still be a difficult choice to make!"The fifty medals will be produced locally and will be based upon a combination of the ideas put forward by the pupils of Year 9E at Heathfield School in Taunton, who were given the design of the medal as part of a project that they were undertaking with their teacher Mary Harding.The youngsters from Heathfield School who were involved in the project will be invited along to the County Ground on May 12th when the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award medals will be presented.Somerset Chief Executive Peter Anderson told me: "The standard was so high that in the end we decided to present fifty medals, which makes symmetrical sense, one for each year of the Queen’s reign."

It took 15 years of Test cricket, one retirement, and 93 Tests before Carl Llewellyn Hooper repaid fans at his home ground at the Bourda Oval in Georgetown, Guyana with a handsome century. The 11th of his career, it could hardly have come at a better time – rescuing West Indies from 44/3 to a healthy 270/4 at the end of the first day’s play of the first Test of this series.Someone once famously said: “If batting was a beauty pageant, Hooper would be Miss World.” Simply on the merit of today’s innings, one would be hard-pressed to disagree. Beginning with an edge that was almost a nervous first step, Hooper grew in confidence, driving through the covers in the twinkle of an eye. The nimble footwork a veritable sashay down the ramp and silken timing the poise and elegance of the world’s finest. An unbeaten 108 (226 balls, 14 boundaries) resulted – the third century in as many first class matches for the Guyana and West Indies skipper.Dasgupta said before the start of this Test that it was imperative for him to improve in a hurry – and that this series could make or break his career. When Hooper laced Anil Kumble through cover-point to register three figures against his name, Dasgupta’s heart would have, or at least should have, sunk to the bottom of his wicketkeeping boots. Having dropped the West Indian skipper off Srinath, from the very first ball he faced, the Bengal stumper was treated to an exhibition of fine batting.Aesthetics apart, Hooper’s innings assumes vital proportions in the context of the series. After winning the toss and electing to bat, things went badly wrong for the Windies. Chris Gayle (12), ever the dasher, delighted before nicking Srinath to the keeper. Stuart Williams (13) making a comeback, followed in Gayle’s foot steps, crashing three boundaries before playing a false shot and being trapped plumb in front.Then came the dismissal that gave the morning session to India. A buzz went across the ground as Brian Lara walked out to bat. The much-hyped contest between the flowing Lara blade and the Indian bowling was all set to begin, and lasted just five balls, thanks to umpire Daryl Harper. Prodding at a ball outside the off Lara brushed his pad, the resultant sound sending signals to all the Indian fielders. The appeal was vociferous and umpire Harper upheld it. Television replays suggested that the ball missed the outside edge by a bit. Lara was clearly unhappy with the decision – who wouldn’t be, given out for a duck at the start of a series?44/3 and the West Indies were looking down the barrel. And the Guyana brigade came straight to the rescue when called up to show some guts.Ramnaresh Sarwan began the repair work, putting his head down, cutting out the risky shots and picking up runs at will. The attacking field slowly spread and run gathering became easier. With the composed Sarwan, Hooper settled down after a shaky start. The pair added an invaluable 113 runs for the fourth wicket before the tea interval destroyed young Sarwan’s concentration. Returning from the break on 53 (180 balls, 6 fours) he drove Sarandeep Singh on the up and straight to Zaheer Khan at mid off.Shivnarine Chanderpaul, another local boy, took over seamlessly where Sarwan left off. Clipping the ball off his pads in characteristic fashion, Chanders, as he is known, was positive. He disturbed the line and length of the bowlers, with Sarandeep Singh getting a bit of stick. Lashing 15 off one over from the offie, Chanderpaul took the initiative away from the tourists. A patient yet fluent unbeaten 57 resulted, studded with 10 boundaries, coming off 112 balls.If anything was representative of the day’s play, it was the 76th over. In the nervous nineties, Hooper looked keen to take on Kumble. The leggie did his best to keep things tight, sending the ball down wicket to wicket and flat. A couple of swishy sweeps disturbed the air around the batsman but failed to result in anything positive. The fourth ball of the over saw `King Carl’ dance down the track, get to the pitch of the ball and deposit it with one neat swing into the stands over long-off. Amidst playing and missing, there was moments of sheer class, sheer joy.No single moment was more poignant than the instant when Hooper reached three figures. The Clive Lloyd Stand erupted in unbridled joy, fans from other parts of the ground, exuberant but well behaved, made a small dash onto the playing area – running in about 20 yards in celebration before returning to their seats. And Hooper’s wife, sitting in the stands, gestured out to the middle. “That’s my man,” she mouthed with pride, to a companion.You can be sure, most of Guyana would have felt the same way of one of their favourite sons, as Hooper led West Indies to a strong position against India at the start of this series.

Punjab, by taking an overall lead of 222 runs, pushed holders Mumbaito the wall in their Ranji Trophy quarterfinal encounter at theWankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Thursday. On the third day, Punjab ranthrough the hosts’ line up and then extended the first innings lead of98 by a further 124 with all their wickets intact. At stumps Punjabopeners Ravneet Ricky (47) and Manish Sharma (68) were at the crease.Resuming at 162 for two in reply to Punjab’s 383, Mumbai slumped to285. Overnight batsmen opener Vinayak Mane and Shriram Kannan took thescore to 195. Kannan who came in as night watchman did not add a runto his overnight score of five and was the first to be dismissed inthe 64th over. He was caught by Sandeep Sanwal off Sharandeep Singh.Mane then found himself in the middle with his captain Amol Mazumdar.But the prospect of a good partnership was nipped in the bud byGagandeep Singh. Mane was sent back after being trapped leg before byGagandeep. During a six hour stay at the crease, Mane faced 244 ballsfor his 97. His innings was studded with ten boundaries.Kambli who replaced the Mumbai opener stuck around for just elevenminutes before he was caught by Sanwal off Gagandeep Singh for five.Thereafter there was just a procession of batsmen as Mazumdar kept oneend going. He was finally the ninth batsman to be dismissed for 48. Hebatted patiently for 210 minutes before Yuvraj Singh caught him offthe bowling of Sodhi. He faced 123 balls and hit five of them to theropes. Gagandeep Singh (3 for 51) and Sodhi (3 for 63) were the pickof the bowlers.The Punjab openers then rubbed salt into Mumbai’s wounds. In the 40overs that were bowled in the innings, the duo plundered 124 runs.Ricky has so far faced 104 balls and hit six boundaries and a sixwhile Sharma has faced 139 balls. During the course of the innings hefound the boundary ropes eight times, besides hitting two sixes.

New Zealand’s new international cricket coach is likely to be known by the end of June.Applications for the position closed yesterday and a shortlist of applicants will be drawn up with interviews taking place over the next month.The interview is made up of, Terry Jarvis, Peter Sharp, Martin Snedden, Jeff Crowe and John F Reid. All but Sharp have played international cricket. Jarvis and Sharp are New Zealand Cricket board members, Snedden is the new chief executive of NZC, Reid is the NZC operations manager and Crowe is the manager of the CLEAR Black Caps.New Zealand team captain Stephen Fleming will be consulted during the process. The number and names of applicants will not be advised.Reid said: “There is a clear process to work through now and a recommendation will be made to the Board at its next meeting.”For reasons of personal privacy NZC has decided not to identify those who have applied or been shortlisted, although we accept that some candidates have made their applications public.”In terms of the number of applicants we will not be making the specific number public but are pleased to report that it is significantly more than the various numbers reported in the media last week,” he said.