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East Zone 388 and 216 for 9 dec (Gandhi 87) drew with South Zone 331 and 7 for 0
Scorecard
Despite a valiant 72-run ninth-wicket partnership between Ramakrishnan Ramkumar and Narender Pal Singh, South Zone failed to gain the first-innings lead in their opening match of the Duleep Trophy at Dharmasala. Assured of two points, East Zone settled for batting practice and killed all hopes of a thrilling climax.Having secured a crucial 57-run first-innings lead, East were precariously placed at 33 for 4. Rohan Gavaskar’s breezy 37 off 38 balls ensured there would be no collapse, even as Devang Gandhi compiled a fluent 87 to take the team to safety. Gandhi’s knock contained 10 fours and a six. Sunil Joshi was the most impressive of the South bowlers, as in the first innings, finishing with 6 for 160 in the match.East declared at the fag end of the day, and South played out the three overs without losing any wickets. Shiv Sunder Das had laid the solid foundation for East on the first day with a dogged 120, and Laxmi Ratan Shukla’s energetic 84 propped up the total on the second day. None of the South batsmen converted their starts, and only Sadagoppan Ramesh and Sunil Joshi passed the 50-run mark. Central Zone 549 (Khoda 156) drew with West Zone 352 for 4 (Jadhav 154, Kanitkar 96, Martin 50*)
Scorecard
Dheeraj Jadhav might have tested everyone’s patience with his 445-ball 154, but that innings ensured that West Zone came away unscathed after their opening match against Central Zone at Gurgaon. Jadhav’s monumental effort was complimented by dogged knocks from Hrishikesh Kanitkar and Jacob Martin. Kanitkar contributed 96 to the 216-run partnership with Jadhav, and Martin helped himself to 50, remaining unbeaten in the end.Central’s mammoth 549 was largely built around Gagan Khoda’s 156 at he top of the order. Four other batsmen achieved half-centuries as the West bowlers toiled for more then six sessions. In the end though, neither team picked up any points from the match.

Bhajji’s bunny
Harbhajan Singh’s trance over Ricky Ponting gains in strength with each innings. Having dismissed Ponting on day one, Harbhajan collected Ponting with his first ball at the batsman and his record is now as stunning as the celebration. He sprinted towards the boundary before rolling twice to mark the achievement. “It’s a good thing he stayed on the ground,” Sourav Ganguly said, “I thought he was going to the dressing room.” It was the eighth time Ponting, whose leading edge went to VVS Laxman at silly point, had fallen to Harbhajan in eight Tests. It was not the last Ponting saw of the Indians as he had to run for Matthew Hayden, who had a sore right thigh.Standing firm
Michael Clarke had seen Andrew Symonds and Ponting survive caught-behind decisions in the first innings so he thought he would try it when he edged Anil Kumble to … first slip. The deviation to Rahul Dravid was marked but Clarke waited for Steve Bucknor to give him out and collected his first zero in Tests. “Why did he wait?” Hayden said. “Just to see the umpire’s finger go up.” The dismissal followed Hayden’s exit and Kumble’s hat-trick delivery, a wrong’un to Andrew Symonds, almost secured an lbw, although there was doubt over the height.In reverse
Hayden had a bit of trouble connecting with some of his sweeps, but there was no problem when he moved to fifty. With a vacant region behind point, he turned himself around and reverse-swept Harbhajan from outside leg stump. It was a brave, unconventional but effective stroke, which he tried for the first time in Tests. He hasn’t perfected it yet as he was dismissed playing the shot.Momentum shift
Australia were meandering in the morning as they worked on reducing the deficit, but Hayden changed the tempo with 14 runs off an Ishant Sharma over. Hayden powered three boundaries and a two to signal the lift in pace and shortly after Australia moved into the lead. They finished with an advantage of 213.Rain and coffee breaks
The numerous weather interruptions were annoying for the spectators and the players and Hayden revealed what he did to keep busy. “I had a lot of flat white coffees just to try and relax,” he said. “The breaks in play leant a bit to me because I was very sore with my leg.”A different set of spikes
India began the day with a game of volleyball, with the batsmen taking on the bowlers. It was played out in a relaxed air with some tapping instead of spiking. The game was one of the features of their tour last time around and John Wright remembered how India suddenly stopped doing well when the side didn’t have the contests. Going by their batting performance in this match, the volleyball luck appears to have resurfaced.

Pakistan will be trialling fresh faces during the five-match one-day international series against Zimbabwe, due to begin from January 26. The relatively low-key nature of the series provides an ideal opportunity for Pakistan’s selectors to test players in three departments, before Australia visit in March for a full tour.”We will definitely try out some new faces in whichever department we need them in,” Salahuddin Ahmed, chief selector, told Cricinfo. “That’s not to say that we are taking Zimbabwe lightly, but we need to assess players on the fringes of the national side and this is a good opportunity.”The bulk of the experimentation will be carried out with fast bowling, opening and the wicketkeeping slot, areas which have for various reasons troubled Pakistan in recent years. Salahuddin suggested domestic pace stalwarts such as Abdur Rauf and Mohammad Irshad would be in line for debuts.”We’re also keeping an eye on the progress of Anwar Ali [former Under-19 star] and Sohail Khan.” Sohail, a right-arm fast-medium bowler from the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) but based in Karachi, has lit up this season’s Quaid-e-Azam trophy with a string of outstanding performances.In nine matches of what is his debut first-class season, for Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC), he has taken 65 wickets; he has already taken eight five-wicket hauls and two ten-wicket match hauls. This includes, in his last match, a Pakistan first-class record haul of 16 for 189, including 9 for 109 in the second innings.The selectors also have an eye on three openers in particular prospering domestically. “Khurram Manzoor, Khalid Latif and Nasir Jamshed have been very good this season from all reports and they are definitely in the mix for that series, as is Asim Kamal,” Salahuddin said.Manzoor, who opens for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is the only batsman with over 1000 runs this season (including matches for Pakistan A), while the left-handed Jamshed and Latif, with three hundreds apiece, are not far behind. Latif, in fact, was called up to the Pakistan ODI squad for three matches of the series against South Africa in October, though he didn’t eventually play.And following more mediocre performances the stumps in India, it is almost inevitable that Kamran Akmal will be rested and former U-19 captain Sarfraz Ahmed given a run in his place. Sarfraz was called up to India as cover for Akmal and made his debut in the last ODI at Jaipur, impressing most observers with an assured display. The idea that both play, with Akmal as a specialist middle-order batsman, has also been discussed by the team management.Zimbabwe are scheduled to arrive on January 12 and will play a four-day match and a three-day match before the ODI series begins.

Mike Procter, the ICC match referee who handed Harbhajan Singh a three-Test ban for alleged racist remarks against Andrew Symonds, has defended his decision to punish the Indian offspinner.”I am South African, and I understand the word racism,” Procter told the . “I have lived with it for much of my life. This was not a case of just taking the word of an Australian over an Indian. I stand by my decision. I believe the process was a fair one. I intend to carry on for the rest of the series, because I don’t have a problem with India. I have always had a good rapport with Indian players.”Procter said it had been a tough day at the office for him. “Obviously this has all been very difficult for me. I didn’t get to sleep until 11am [on Monday], and then only for a couple of hours. It has been one of the most difficult days of my life.”Procter said Sunday’s hearing was not a heated affair, adding he was unsure when the procedure for the appeal over the ban would take place. However, he did say the hearing into Brad Hogg’s alleged remarks would be conducted on either January 13 or 14 in Perth.

The Supreme Court has allowed the Indian board to keep its autonomy but yesterday’s ruling has not helped resolve the dispute over the telecast rights which has plagued Indian cricket for more than five months. While the working committee of the BCCI is likely to meet on February 6 to discuss the telecast-rights issue, Zee Telefilms, which had contested the BCCI’s decision to cancel its bid of Rs14000million (approx US$320million) for the rights to televise Indian cricket for the next four years, is certain to take the matter to Bombay High Court.The Supreme Court dismissed Zee’s public-interest litigation against the BCCI on the grounds that the board wasn’t a “state”. However, it allowed Zee to contest BCCI’s decision under article 226 at the High Court.A Press Trust of India report quoted a Zee Telefilms spokesman as saying: “The writ petition has been dismissed under article 32 of the Constitution but is maintainable under article 226 before the High Court.” He added that Zee would be approaching the High Court as soon as possible after consulting with its legal team.Zee, which plans to launch its own sports channel later this year – their lack of pedigree in sports telecasting was one of the bones of contention when the bidding process started – had argued that since the BCCI picked and controlled the team which represented India at international events, its actions were subject to the same clauses that governed the functioning of the “state”.

An unbeaten century from Damien Martyn and an excellent bowling and fielding effort has seen Australia break its VB Series points duck with a27-run victory over South Africa here at the ‘Gabba ground in Brisbane tonight. In front of a record crowd, the Australians held their composure tobowl the Proteas out for a total of 214 in the 49th over as they chased the home team’s 4/241.Martyn’s innings of 104 (from 121 deliveries), which ultimately secured him the man of the match award, was the key component in Australia’s win.He came to the crease with his team in trouble after another poor start but proceeded to take the match out of the South Africans’ clutches as hecompiled a defiant 171-run stand for the third wicket with Ricky Ponting (80).After a run of outs that had netted the Australians losses in each of their first three matches of the tournament, the new opening combination of MarkWaugh (15) and Matthew Hayden (10) found no ready cure to their team’s ills. Waugh survived two confident lbw appeals before inside edging tobe brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Mark Boucher off paceman Steve Elworthy (2/53) while Hayden, dropped at 8, then mistimed a pull to beheld at mid off from the same bowler.The Australians also lost their way at the other end of their innings, watching as Ponting drove a Lance Klusener (1/48) delivery to Herschelle Gibbsat cover and Andrew Symonds (3) play off a leading edge at spinner Nicky Boje (1/43). Only 42 runs were collected from the final eight overs asMartyn and Steve Waugh (22*) were pegged back by Shaun Pollock (0/28) and Boje in particular.In between times, though, Martyn and Ponting made batting look easy on a true surface. Driving was a feature of their respective innings: Pontingregularly finding the boundary while Martyn’s excellent placement and running between the wickets also cleverly accelerated the scoring rate.In the context of South Africa’s later inability to mount any more than one half-century partnership, their ability to guard against the consistent loss ofwickets also proved crucial.”There is always pressure to win and we knew we had to win the game,” said Australian captain, Steve Waugh, at the end of a match played before35,671 people – an all-time record attendance for a one-day international match in Brisbane.”We wanted to make sure we improved tonight.”Waugh later added that he was “disappointed” by recent media criticism of his side though “not surprised” by the attacks in the wake of Australia’ssurprisingly slow start to the tournament.Neil McKenzie (68) led a determined South African chase, and received useful support from Jacques Kallis (37) along the way. But thecomparatively early surrender of openers Gary Kirsten (22) and Gibbs (18) always made life difficult for the tourists.The South Africans had begun their pursuit aggressively, reaching a mark of 0/34 in the seventh over before Gibbs hit Glenn McGrath (4/37) toAndy Bichel at mid on for an easy catch. His error set the tone for generally indiscreet shot selection and the fall of wickets on a regular basis.McGrath, though he dropped a comfortable catch off Bichel’s bowling as Kirsten top edged a cut to third man, was a persistent thorn in the tourists’side, snaring a pair of wickets at either end of the innings. Symonds (3/48) and Jason Gillespie (2/60) combined to wreck the middle order andBichel (1/27) – arguably the pick of the attack – restrained the run flow superbly.Gillespie snared the two key wickets, trapping Kallis in front of his stumps as the talented right hander shuffled marginally across his crease and thenluring McKenzie into playing one of the few false stokes of his innings.McKenzie, though starved of meaningful support at the other end, had still been threatening to steal the game at that stage – and almost any hope ofa finals appearance away from the Australians as well.But when he tried to guide a Gillespie delivery through the slips in the 41st over only to see the ball disappear into wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist’sgloves, the Proteas’ aspirations of victory suffered a major setback.Pollock (18) followed him to the pavilion three overs later, mistiming a pull at Symonds to hit a catch to Hayden at deep square leg and effectivelyend the contest.Symonds had earlier induced Jonty Rhodes (2) to thin edge a catch to Gilchrist and had also caused the demise of Boucher (10) as he divedforward to complete an inspirational caught and bowled dismissal.

New Zealand’s bid to finish the summer as the third-ranked team in Test cricket could be foiled if bad weather continues to disrupt the Bangladesh tour and prevent any results in the two Test matches.Today’s heavy rain in Hamilton for all of the morning and well into the afternoon left the covers saturated in water, and the outfield pooled with puddles.There was a brief period when the skies lightened and a break in the weather looked possible. However, no sooner had the ground staff started their preparations than the weather closed in.Lunch was taken at the regular time of 2pm but almost straight afterwards the umpires, Dave Orchard of South Africa and Tony Hill of New Zealand called play off for the day and scheduled the start for 11.30am tomorrow with play continuing until 7.30pm.New lighting towers are in place at the ground and if there is a problem with the light they will be brought into use.There was a long period without rain later in the day, but the ground staff had commented it would take them at least three to four hours to prepare the ground and there would not have been sufficient time left to make a start.There are genuine prospects for play tomorrow with heavy rain warnings to the east of Hamilton having been withdrawn.New Zealand needs to win this National Bank series, and then beat England later in the summer to achieve that goal.But without a success against Bangladesh, New Zealand would not be able to pass Sri Lanka on the table. If Sri Lanka beat Zimbabwe it would retain its points and remain on 1.14.If New Zealand beat England, but had been unable to take a win from a drawn Bangladesh series, whether by rain or Bangladesh defiance, then it would end the summer on 1.13.The only way to avoid that would be the unlikely event of Zimbabwe taking pre-existing points off Sri Lanka by drawing or winning the series.The more bad weather reduces the time available in matches, the tougher it gets for New Zealand to claim the required victory.There is also the possibility that the International Cricket Council could decide that if one match was abandoned without a ball being bowled, the series had become a one-Test series and that the series was then discounted as a Test series for the purposes of the ICC Test Championship.The forecast for tomorrow is not especially bright and every hour of without play minimises New Zealand’s chances to take a result from the match.So it is in New Zealand’s interests to get play in whenever they can in the series to try to force a result, a different form of pressure, but pressure nonetheless. And certainly a handy vehicle in the fight against complacency if, in fact, that had ever been a problem.

The deep voice rolling its Rs as it served up sentences in the most delicious Scottish brogue had people looking around the room frantically, wondering what Sean Connery was doing at a conference for cricket coaches organised by the MRF in Chennai. Cinema buffs were immediately disappointed to discover that the voice was only Dr Sandy Gordon’s. But that disappointment didn’t last long, for few people think, and talk, as good a game of cricket as him.Drawing Gordon aside for a second, it was a pleasant surprise to hear him talk about things less incomprehensible than cognitive behavioural psychology. “I played soccer as a part-time professional in the north of Scotland. One of the teams I played for was Buckie Thistle, and Alex Ferguson, who had just moved from Rangers to Falkirk, played against us in the Scottish Cup. He was a striker and I was a defender. They beat us 2-1, but when he came to Aberdeen to coach the team there, I helped him find a good school for his kids and that sort of thing. We got to know each other quite well.”But Gordon isn’t just dropping names when he talks about "Fergie" and the success Manchester United have had in transforming themselves from a good team to a great one. And he isn’t from a purely soccer background either: “I played cricket and golf in the summer and there were three or four families who were very passionate about cricket where I came from, in Huntley.”Okay, so that’s fair enough, we all had a knock in the backyard or kicked a ball on the streets as kids, and that can sometimes lead to a career in sport. But which five-year old says, “when I grow up, I want to be a psychologist”? Not even the young Gordon. “I was keen on all sports and wanted to be a PE teacher. I always knew that and I did it for a couple of years. Then later I decided to do another degree and I became interested in social and educational psychology.”I liked sports psychology because I was a player and I had some pretty bad coaching practices during that time. I also met some players who were emotionally unhinged or had problems dealing with pressure,” he says, chuckling. Today, these two factors comprise the nucleus of a lot of Gordon’s work.Recently, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) woke up to the fact that a psychologist could play a huge role in giving the team an edge. Sportsmen, especially successful ones, tend to have king-sized egos and this could easily get in the way of Gordon’s work. “At the top level every player is looking to prolong his or her career, so they’re not at all resistant to feedback. They just love any kind of feedback. As coaches, we’re paid to give feedback. I’ve never had any player say he didn’t want my opinion.”Not even the big stars of Indian cricket? “I really feel that I was just part of the facilitation process with the Indian team. It’s the players who are out there playing and they’re the ones who should be patted on the back. I’m quietly pleased with the reactions I’ve had though.”But what exactly did Gordon say or do to turn the Indian team into a fist-pumping, charged-up unit? Remember the rugby-style huddles from the World Cup? “They [the team] created the environment. I threw up the questions and challenges in terms of group and individual gameplans and how to attain momentum and they applied all of that to their situations. Remember, I wasn’t there at the games so they’re the ones who did it.”However, on the eve of the World Cup, the morale of the Indian team wasn’t the greatest after the hammering they received in New Zealand. “While they were a bit apprehensive just before the start of the World Cup, they were also excited to be playing in it. A few players were resigned to the fact that they might not play a game. When I talked to them, I asked what they wanted to get out of the tournament. They then understood that there were certain individual goals over and above the team goals that players could achieve.”Interestingly, the very day after the 2002 NatWest Series final, in which India successfully chased 326 against England, Gordon had a chat with the team. They told him that other teams thought they were mentally soft and they wanted to change that. “It was really John Wright’s ambition to identify the areas that needed work. We started to explore why India were mentally tough at home, but struggled abroad. I compared what the Indians did on tour with what the Australians did and there was a world of difference. The players needed to realise that going away does not mean you’re on enemy territory. You’re on a cricket field, and that’s home.”He’s said it before and he’s happy to say so again: “I wasn’t surprised at all at India’s toughness in the World Cup. They fully deserved to be in the final. They didn’t play well in the beginning, getting thumped by Australia, but they bounced back strongly. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well they came together and the way they enjoyed the game.”And to think things turned around for the simplest of reasons. “A commitment by the individual and the team to giving the best effort possible for every delivery. Cricket’s a simple game really. Focussing on the right things, getting your attitude right, thinking positively and decisively.”If only it were that simple to put into practice. “Australia will always be up there because of the domestic competition they have and the type of player it produces. I don’t know the system here, but I know there’s an awful lot of politics involved. So when a player comes through the system in Australia he’s already tough, a thoroughbred. The infrastructure puts Australia well ahead.”Is there no hope for India then? After all, changing the system is so difficult that hardly anyone bothers anymore. As one critic was quick to point out, what good is there in toughening up the national side when the foundations are so weak? “[Training in] mental skills really needs to start at the under-17 level, at least. It’s got to start much earlier than the national team. You can’t unscramble an egg you know. It’s there already and you can’t go back and change things. Certainly this model is only a band-aid solution. It can’t work from the top downwards.”

Pakistan 257 (Youhana 65, Inzamam 64*) beat Bangladesh 201 for 9 (Sarkar 61, Kapali 61, Gul 5-17) by 42 runs (D/L method)
Scorecard

Bangladesh never quite got themselves in a position to mount a serious attack on a target of 258, let alone the revised 244 from 44 overs. They lost wickets regularly, and the only contribution of note came from Hannan Sarkar, but even he batted too slowly to cause the Pakistanis any worry. Umar Gul, improving with every game, picked up a five-wicket haul, scalping 5 for 17 and sent Bangladesh spiraling to a 42-run loss. Pakistan’s total of 257, achieved on the back of half-centuries from Yousuf Youhana and Inzamam-ul-Haq proved more than sufficient. With this win, their 300th in one-day internationals, Pakistan took an unassailable 3-0 lead in this five-match series.Bangladesh got off to the worst possible start in pursuit of 258. The lights failed twice at Lahore, but no overs were lost on the first occasion. Bangladesh were rocked by strikes either side of the first stoppage. Mohammad Ashraful (1) edged the fourth ball of the innings, from Gul, straight to Inzamam at first slip (1 for 1). Soon there was another stoppage, when one light tower failed completely and six overs were lost. Bangladesh were then set a revised target of 244 from 44 overs.Gul then struck again in the fifth over before Bangladesh could settle down, removing Rajin Saleh. A full delivery induced the drive and the resultant nick was easily pouched by Kamran Akmal. Saleh (4) had batted well in the Test series, but Bangladesh were in disarray at the fall of his wicket (9 for 2).When play resumed after the second stoppage Habibul Bashar (14) compounded Bangladesh’s problems, top-edging a pull to third man (42 for 3), and Gul had his third wicket.The required run-rate climbed steadily. Sarkar, who scored a patient 61, was keen to play out the overs rather than go for the target. When Sarkar attempted a late surge after reaching his half-century, he was undone, playing down the wrong line to Shoaib Malik. His off stump was pegged back and Bangladesh were in trouble at 137 for 4.Mushfiqur Rahman was run out by a good bit of outfielding from Gul and Alok Kapali’s valiant 61 from 70 balls came to an end when he clipped Gul to Younis Khan at midwicket (175 for 6). Khaled Mahmud (16) struck two boundaries before skying the ball high in the air, attempting an ambitious heave off Shabbir Ahmed (183 for 7).Gul (5 for 17) then completed a hugely profitable outing when he shattered Mashrafe Mortaza’s stumps to pick up his fifth wicket (186 for 8). From here on, the game held interest merely for the scorers, who in the end noted that Pakistan had won by 42 runs by the Duckworth/Lewis method.As at Multan and Faisalabad, Pakistan’s innings, earlier in the day, revolved largely around the two men in form – Youhana and Inzamam. Youhana in particular was overtly aggressive. After Mohammad Hafeez edged Tapash Baisya to Khaled Mashud (13 for 1), Youhana came out seemingly intent on tearing the cover off the ball. He thick-edged the ball to third man more than once and narrowly escaped two chances. After Mohammad Rafique was introduced into the attack, Youhana predictably danced down the track and attempted a heave over long-on. He missed, and so did Mashud, who fumbled the stumping chance.Youhana’s second reprieve came when Yasir Hameed tapped a ball around the corner to short fine leg and then refused to run even as Youhana came tearing down the length of the pitch. The throw, though, was wild, and that gave Yasir the time to come out of his reverie and make his ground at the non-striker’s end in time.Both Youhana and Yasir struck some glorious fours, driving elegantly through the off side. When Yasir fell (90 for 2) – skying a catch to Baisya at long-on – Pakistan slowed down, and Bangladesh’s spinners, and Rafique in particular, pinned the batsmen to the crease. Runs dried up, but to their credit, Youhana and Younis Khan played intelligently, refusing to lose their head out of impatience.Youhana, in fact, fell to laziness rather than anything else. Rahman’s gentle delivery outside the off stump was nothing special, but Youhana prodded at it and inside-edged the ball onto his stumps (127 for 3).As the final overs approached, batsmen fell rapidly in the pursuit of quick runs, and only Inzamam, swatting full-tosses over square-leg for six, lasted the course of the final 10 overs, steering Pakistan to a total only 13 short of what he said he was aiming for when he won the toss in the afternoon.

The tricky part of England’s winter is finally behind them. They havesuccessfully juggled their political hot potato in Zimbabwe – with onlythe occasional glitch of protocol along the way – and the team can now, atlong last, refocus their attentions on their day job. Tomorrow atRandjesfontein, cricket (a sport, lest we forget, that England wereproving to be rather good at come the end of last season) returns to thetop of the agenda.But what an agenda. The small matter of five Tests in six weeks lies aheadof England, and for the first time since South Africa’s readmission tointernational cricket, they are travelling as clear-cut favourites. It isnot a burden that has traditionally sat easily on English shoulders, and withjust four scheduled warm-up days ahead of the first Test at Port Elizabethon December 17, tomorrow’s tour opener, against Nicky Oppenheimer’s XI atthe family ranch near Johannesburg, has taken on an added significance.The Oppenheimers are the hosts with the most, the dynasty at the helm ofthe world-renowned De Beers Corporation. They have had generations ofexperience in polishing rough diamonds and, in that respect, there couldbe no better setting for the return of England’s karatty kids, SteveHarmison and Andrew Flintoff, who have not had a chance to shine since thefinal of the Champions Trophy more than two months ago.England’s other high-profile omission from the one-dayers in Zimbabwe wasMarcus Trescothick, who takes over as captain while Michael Vaughan has awell-earned break. Given the tightrope he has walked in the lastfortnight, his day off will presumably be spent in a darkened room, wherehe can refocus his attentions on field placings and forget the need toavoid diplomatic faux pas.The shift of emphasis away from Zimbabwe and towards the Tests wasconfirmed by the announcement of England’s team for the Oppenheimer match.It contains all eight of the recently arrived Test specialists, who havespent the last few days warming up amid torrential downpours inJohannesburg, and of the seven players who featured in all four victoriesover Zimbabwe, only the ever-willing Paul Collingwood has been pressgangedinto further action. His inclusion is a sure sign that he will berelegated to the bench come the main event.England will not be allowed to exorcise their Zimbabwe demons that easily,however, not with a certain Heath Streak lining up to have a dart at themtomorrow. Streak, who recently called off his floundering civil actionagainst the Zimbabwe cricket authorities who stripped him of the nationalcaptaincy, recently hinted that he might be willing to make a return tothe team. With that in mind, he is unlikely to be going easy on England’sbatsmen, not least Trescothick, whose overseas record pales in comparisonto his home form, and who will be mindful of the need to hit the groundrunning after his break from the game.The weather, however, may yet deny England their opportunity to get fullymatch-focused ahead of the Port Elizabeth Test. With unseasonally dismalconditions predicted for the rest of the week, all 11 of England’sfirst-choice Test players could struggle to obtain any meaningful time inthe middle over the next few days. “If it rains for four days, I’ll saythat we’ll be undercooked for the first Test,” said Duncan Fletcher, withthe sort of guarded admission that made him a natural for diplomaticduties in Zimbabwe.That’s the trouble with today’s non-stop treadmill of internationalcricket. Those who dare to take a breather run the risk of tripping overtheir own feet as they rush to get back up to speed. For England, however,a change (of personnel, as well as venue) is as good as a rest. Given thenumbing predictability of the Zimbabwe saga, they’ll be itching to getinvolved in a real contest, come rain or shine.England 1 Marcus Trescothick (capt), 2 Robert Key, 3 Mark Butcher,4 Graham Thorpe, 5 Andrew Flintoff, 6 Paul Collingwood, 7 Chris Read (wk),8 Gareth Batty, 9 Simon Jones, 10 Matthew Hoggard, 11 Stephen Harmison.Oppenheimer’s XI Ashwell Prince (capt), Andre Seymore, NeilJohnson, JP Duminy, Francois du Plessis, Wendell Bossenger (wk), HeathStreak, Grant Howell, Werner Coetsee, Charl Willoughby, Lonwabe Tsotsobe.