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Leicestershire have announced that Phillip DeFreitas will be their new captain for the 2003 season.The 36-year-old former England all rounder has accepted the invitation to lead the side next summer after Iain Sutcliffe declined the opportunity to succeed Vince Wells as captain.Leicestershire general manager, Kevin Hill, said: “The management committee unanimously approved the cricket committee’s recommendation to invite Phillip DeFreitas to be captain for 2003.”I have the highest regard for Phillip both as a player and a person. He is a strong leader and I look forward to working with him.”DeFreitas, currently on a cricketing tour in Barbados said: “I am extremely proud and honoured to be appointed captain of Leicestershire. We have a lot of talented players and I am looking forward to us achieving the success the club and its supporters deserve.”DeFreitas, who has played in 44 Tests and 103 one-day internationals, is in the final year of a four year contract at Grace Road. Last season he scored 609 Championship runs took 51 wickets and also joined the elite group of players who have achieved a career double of 10,000 runs and 1,000 wickets.

If you’ve watched the award winning movie, “A Beautiful Mind”, you would know what it’s like to be enthralled for half an event, only to be left feeling empty by the latter half. There were more than a few at the Rose Bowl at Southampton who walked away from the second day’s play thinking they should get half their ticket money back.While the first day was beautiful – weather and cricketwise – the second was ruled by the mind. Shaun Udal’s five-wicket bag apart, the first day was dominated by talk of the wicket. From talk, it graduated to demonstrations as the Hampshire batsmen formed a neat procession back to the pavilion. With the Kohima Regiment of the Royal Band drumming up what could have easily been a dirge, the local side were reduced from 59/1 to 101/8 before a bit of a slog at the end by Messrs. Mascarenhas and Hamblin saw Hampshire limp to 123 all out.A direct testament to the quality of the wicket was the fact that the Hampshire side lasted a mere 37.3 overs in their first innings. India’s bowlers managed to chalk up figures that flatter them beyond belief. Sanjay Bangar would never have seen figures of four for 40 at his home ground – the Karnail Singh Stadium. After a few overs of Tinu Yohannan were completed, it was obvious that Sourav Ganguly would be on in no time.He was. And Hampshire were off in equal time. The Indian skipper, sending down his medium pace deliveries got several balls to duck low even as a couple whizzed by the ears of increasingly frustrated batsmen. Ganguly returned three for ten from his four overs.To be quite honest, it was the kind of day where you had to drop all feelings of patriotism and parochialism and just support whichever team was batting. It would be easy to begin a tirade against the home association for the kind of wicket served up. However, if you do look back at the history of games at the Rose Bowl, you will find that the wicket boasts no more terrors than its cousins all over the country. It tends to favour the seamers early on before easing out nicely to let the batsmen get on with their job. “It’s not unusual to see sides being about 80 for four and ending up with over 350,” said Victor Isaacs, Hampshire scorer, who has probably watched more games at this venue than anyone else.The Indians, however, were in no mood for history lessons on the nature of the Hampshire wicket. With more than one player rapped painfully on the fingers and knuckles by deliveries that took off from a length, in their first essay, the Indians did not want to take any chances in their second knock. At about lunch time, with Hampshire eight down for 101, the chinese whispers made their way from the dressing rooms to the members’ pavilion to the Atrium Bar and yes, to the press box, that the Indians were reluctant to bat again on this wicket.It bears repeating, however, that these were mere rumours. And of course, to get a clarification on matters of this kind from cricket officials is like trying to play Beethoven on a plate with a fork and knife. You can beat away all you like, but you’ll never get more than a lot of noise. When openers Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer walked out to bat, the audience heaved a collective sigh of relief. There were going to be no embarrassing scenes after all.And then wicketkeeper Adrian Aymes stood up to Dimitri Mascarenhas bowling with a shiny new cherry and a few gents and ladies looked up from their Pimms-lemonade, and raised an enquiring eyebrow. Then came Shaun Udal to bowl his offies in just the fifth over of the innings. His success in the first innings apart, one finds it hard to believe that Robin Smith intended to do a Martin Crowe by bringing his off-spinner on to bowl early. Perhaps captains of both sides, realising the nature of the wicket, had taken the only possible route.Ganguly too seemed to change his tactics, sending Bangar in at the fall of the first wicket – Sehwag 22 – and Ajay Ratra in when Wasim Jaffer was dismissed for 32.There was more chaos to follow. While Bangar helped himself to probably the easiest fifty of his life, Ratra scratched around, never looking comfortable, and before you knew it he was caught in the slips for 26. VVS Laxman, coming in to bat next was hit once in the midriff before patting a ball from James Hamblin straight back to him. He did not trouble the scorers. Ganguly came in next, stayed briefly, scoring 1, before he declared the innings close on 139 for four. This left Hampshire with a target of 253 with an hour and a day to play.Neil Johnson could not emulate his first innings form and chipped Bangar to Sehwag at square leg. Soon after, Will Kendall tickled one to slip and became Bangar’s second victim of the innings. Robin Smith (19 not out) and Hamblin (10 not out) took Hampshire through to stumps on 43 for two.To say the cricket to a back seat to the aforementioned events would be pushing things, but you would have to admit that a bit of friendly bowling to support batsmen is hardly the way to celebrate the great game. Oh yes, but it’s not just a great game, it’s also a funny old one.

Heavy rain that swept through the country on Monday put a stop to Hampshire 2nd XI’s good start in the ECB Second XI Trophy Final against their Kent counterparts on Monday at the Rose Bowl.Asked to bat first under dull and overcast skies and on a damp outfield from the morning showers, Hampshire rose to the challenge, courtesy of a spirited innings from Alex Morris, who hit 38 in just 31 balls.But he became the first of James Hibberd’s two wickets in successive deliveries as Morris was bowled going for an expansive drive, and then Lawrence Prittipaul edged his first delivery to first slip.Hibberd, a Southampton born all-rounder who still plays local club cricket for Southern Electric Premier League side Calmore Sports is one who perhaps has slipped the Hampshire net, after playing twice in the Under 19 Championship winning side of 1999.Earlier, skipper Jason Laney was dismissed after making just four but James Adams and Morris ensured Hampshire got off to a good start nonetheless, and they will be looking to advance when play, weather permitting, resumes in the morning at 11:00am.

Floodlit cricket returns to Canterbury on Tuesday 30 July when Kent Spitfires play the Warwickshire Bears in Division One of the Norwich Union League. Preparations are already well under way at the St Lawrence Ground, the first outward signs of which will be the testing of the lights on Sunday 28 July and Monday 29 July and the arrival of the Sky television crew ahead of the game.A bumper crowd is expected, with play commencing at 4.10 p.m. on the day. Gates will open at 2.00 p.m. and, in order to cope with the expected high volume of traffic, the Police are to implement a one-way system along the Old Dover Road. Extra parking has been arranged at the nearby Simon Langton School.The match is to be televised and there will be an array of events throughout the evening including bands, a free-fall parachute display and many other activities. Warwickshire currently lead the table and can expect a tough challenge from Kent ahead of their Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy Semi Final at Taunton on 1 August.

The country reacted with anger and disgust over Sherwin Campbell’somission from a West Indies training squad from which the team to tourZimbabwe and Kenya will be chosen. But the man at the centre of thefurore remained upbeat.Obviously, there is a chance that my days could be numbered, a modestCampbell told NATIONSPORT yesterday.I’m not the oldest guy, but I’ve got to be positive and realistic, the30-year-old opening batman added.I have to stay positive all the time and always feel there is a chanceand never give up.The squad of 22 for the pre-tour training camp in Trinidad from May 28to June 8 includes three specialist opening batsmen Chris Gayle, LeonGarrick and Daren Ganga along with Wavell Hinds, a regular No 3 whowas asked to go in first in four Tests in the recent series againstSouth Africa.At no stage did any of them emphatically make a statement withconsistent heavy scoring against the South Africans.But they were preferred to a batsman whose fighting qualities are wellknown and who has been the West Indies’ most reliable opener sinceDesmond Haynes left the international arena in 1995.I am a little disappointed, but that’s life and that’s how things go,said Campbell, whose 51 Tests brought him 2 856 runs (ave. 32.82) andfour centuries.I’ve got to put it behind me and think about the future and thinkabout ways and means of getting back into the team.I don’t think you can kill yourself over it. Of course I amdisappointed, like anyone else, but it’s not the end of the world.Two-and-a-half years ago when Campbell was not picked for the WestIndies’ tour to South Africa, he responded with a prolific run in the1999 Busta Cup and was immediately recalled.You have to focus on getting back into the team and doing well toprove the selectors wrong, Campbell said.That is my main goal to focus on my performance and think about mygame some more and focus on getting scores consistently.The Barbados captain does not feel that the pressure is on him to theextent that he has to come back and prove a point.I just think I have to get out there and score runs and be consistent,he said.Campbell recently returned from New York where he visited Dr AnsworthAllen for an opinion on a shoulder injury he first sustained duringlast October’s Red Stripe Bowl.When I throw from the deep it affects me a little bit, but from closein and when I’m batting, it’s fine, Campbell said.When I throw from the deep it is not as strong as I would like it tobe.It is an injury which requires an operation and in view of his noninclusion in the West Indies training squad, he hopes to have thesurgery as soon as possible.I have not set a date as yet, but hopefully it will be very soon, hesaid.

It doesn’t pay to be successful in the TelstraClear Black Caps side at the moment – you become a target for the injury gods, and Nathan Astle is the latest victim.New Zealand’s player of the year after his outstanding batting form over the summer Astle, will not play in tonight’s second One-Day International against Pakistan and will return home immediately having been diagnosed with a tear in the patella tendon of his left knee.The extent of the tear is not known and is why he is being flown home to be diagnosed by the New Zealand Cricket medical team.A precautionary scan has been taken of the knee as the result of Astle experiencing increasing discomfort since the one-day tournament in Sharjah.New Zealand Cricket’s operations manager John Reid said: “We want to get him home for further diagnosis from our medical team and start him on rehabilitation as quickly as possible.”That’s operations as in technical administration of New Zealand’s Cricket but it might just as well be medical operations manager such has been the attrition rate among the leading New Zealand players since the World Cup of 1999.Geoff Allott, Chris Cairns, Daniel Vettori, Shayne O’Connor, Dion Nash, Scott Styris, Shane Bond and now Astle have all suffered severe injury setbacks which have drastically reduced New Zealand’s capacity to compete as efficiently as it could without such an injury load.Astle’s place in the side is being taken by Mathew Sinclair.Sinclair had just returned home from Sharjah and will now rejoin the side on Friday. Astle’s injury is the perfect opportunity for Sinclair to reclaim his place in the New Zealand Test side after being dropped for the home series against England.

The visiting South African under-19 cricketers showed they were well prepared in foreign conditions, when they lined up for their opening New Zealand tour match against an Otago under-19 side at Centennial Park in Oamaru.After the start was delayed by an hour due to overnight rain, the South Africans provided a most enjoyable day’s cricket by hitting the loose ball hard and, sometimes, even the good ball in the same manner.Sent in by the Otago captain Jordan Sheed, the South Africans found conditions difficult in the early stages. The bowling side benefited from a greenish pitch which produced quite a few awkward balls to negotiate.However the South Africans, in spite of losing opener Michael Price when the score was 25, battled hard and eventually his partner James Schorn scored a fine 94. He deserved a century but surely will manage that goal before the tour is over, given the talent evident within him.The South African captain Rivash Gobind scored an attractive 38, and Chad Baxter an excellent hard-hitting 70 before Imran Khan (not to be confused with the former Pakistani captain) and Gerhard de Bruin each got into the teens to take their side to 280/9 before declaring.The Otago wicket-keeper Matt George impressed with four catches as did the Otago fielding with some excellent returns from the deep.In the bowling department Johnathan Hodson (4-63 from 22 overs) deserved a five-wicket bag, which nearly came his way. In support Anthony Wilkinson, took a very tidy 1-21 from 16 overs and Matt Adair 2-54 from 15 overs, while Ben Ryan (1-52 from 15.3) and Jamie Murley (1-57 from 16) were the other wicket takers. Overall Otago bowled well but not outstandingly on a pitch which was good to bat on after initial life.The Otago openers Shaun Haig and Anthony Wilkinson had to bat an hour before stumps were drawn at 7pm, and faced a fiery spell from speedster Monde Zondeki who beat the bat many times. His partners were Gerhard De Bruin and South African vice-captain Johan Botha, who too provided a stern test for Haig and Wilkinson. But perserverance paid off and Otago reached 20 without loss at the close of play.

Karachi Whites thrashed Bahawalpur by a huge margin of 173 runs, as their pace man Imran Javed bagged 7 wickets for 40, sending the tourists packing for 102 while chasing 275 for victory.Put into bat first, Karachi-W were helped by fine innings from Hasan Raza (63 off 83), Arif Mahmood (56 off 48) and Saeed Bin Nasir (43 off 80), as they posted an impressive 275 for 5 on the board.It was then all Imran Javed with his deadly yorkers and lovely out-swingers, accounting for 7 of the Bahawalpur batsmen for 40 runs in his ten overs. Hammad Tariq (75 off 91), the opener, fought single-handedly all through the innings, but failing to find any contribution whatsoever from the other end, he only saw his side disintegrating inside 23 overs, with the second highest individual score being only 3.In the second Pool A match, Lahore Whites surpassed Peshawar by 113 runs, after posting 268 in their fifty overs. Led by wicket keeper/batsman Humayun Farhat, Lahore had an opening partnership of 98 in about 13 overs, as Salman Butt and the skipper himself led the charge against Peshawar bowlers.The skipper made an attacking 60 off 45 balls, helped by 8 fours and a six, and Salman got a patient 53 off 95 ball. Sohail Idrees and Rizwan Aslam also batted well getting 42 (64 balls) and 41 (38 balls), respectively.Peshawar made an impressive start, getting 25 in the first two overs, but dramatically lost momentum, losing wickets at regular intervals. The 16-year-old lad Azhar Ali proved their main destroyer, bagging five wickets for 23 with his leg breaks. He was aided by Saad Janjua who got 2 for 25, whereas Rizwan Ahmed got 2 for 31, thus, restricting the opposition to 155 in 37.4 overs.The third encounter of this Pool, played between Islamabad and Rawalpindi, was arguably the most interesting match so far in the tournament, with the latter emerging winners by only one wicket.Chasing a target of 239, Rawalpindi were cruising along at 150 for 4 by the 30th over, after Mohammad Nadeem and Naeem Akhtar had batted well, respectively, for their 48 and 43. However, the next ten overs witnessed a remarkable turnaround, as Islamabad claimed 5 wickets with the addition of just about 35 runs, reducing the opposition to 188 for 9 by the 41st over.It was then up to an unbeaten 53-run partnership between Iftikhar Mahmood and Junaid Zia, which ultimately led their side through in 49.5 overs. Making full use of Islamabad’s slackness in the field, the two tail-enders found runs without much ado. Iftikhar remained not out on 29 (35 balls) and Junaid scored an unbeaten 27 (28 balls, 2 fours, 1 six).

Pakistan’s one-day captain Shahid Afridi has said Pakistan will be a surprise package in the World Cup later this year, despite the problems plaguing the team’s recent campaigns, due to them being better suited to the 50-over format.”No matter what people say and believe, I’m confident that Pakistan will do really well in the World Cup,” Afridi told the after returning from New Zealand following the three-match Twenty20 series there which his side lost 1-2. “I won’t make any predictions but would make it clear that Pakistan will take their best shot for the World Cup title.”With under 50 days left for the event, Pakistan are yet to finalise their 30-man preliminary squad. Three of their key players — Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir — have been provisionally suspended following the spot-fixing controversy and their fates will be decided in Doha, later this week. There are doubts over the futures of two other players – Shoiab Malik and Kamran Akmal – who will appear before the board’s integrity committee prior to the announcement of the preliminary list.”It’s certainly not an ideal situation,” Afridi said of the side’s controversy-ridden build-up to the World Cup. “But it’s our history that we give our best under pressure.”Pakistan have performed reasonably well in their recent one-day campaigns, taking five-match series against England and South Africa to the final games. Afridi said Pakistan’s one-day side was more likely to succeed than their outfits for the other formats.”I would agree that a lot of work has to be done before we start doing well in Tests consistently,” he said. “Even our Twenty20 team needs a world of improvement. But when it comes to one-day cricket, we are close to achieving an ideal combination. Most of the players in our Twenty20 team are better suited to the one-day format.”Afridi hinted he had given up on the option of opening the innings following his failures at the top in the New Zealand Twenty20s. “The idea behind my decision to open was to help give the team some fast and useful starts,” he said. “But it didn’t work out. Now I’ve decided to stick to No.6 spot both for Twenty20s and ODIs in the future.”

ScorecardSouth Western Districts, who were given provisional affiliate status by CSA in August last year, pulled off a stunning coup when they beat Western Province by an innings and 54 runs inside two days in Oudtshoorn. Debutant fast bowler Marcello Piedt took 7 for 6 as Western Province were bowled out for 34 in their second innings.Piedt has played under-19 cricket but this was his first foray into first-class cricket and he had a match to remember. Bowling alongside Warriors seamer Gurshwin Rabie, he took two wickets in the first innings while Ross McMillan took three as Western Province were dismissed for 141.Adrian McLaren, a former franchise player at the Knights, held the SWD innings together. His 67 was the only half-century on the card. Another youngster, 19-year old Travis Muller claimed 6 for 55 but SWD took an 88-run lead into their second innings.The rest of the match belonged to Piedt. He took two wickets each in his second, fourth and fifth overs to ensure Western Province never had a chance. He only needed to bowl ten overs. Rabie and Douglas Baartman cleaned up the rest and SWD had earned a memorable win. The match was SWD’s first of the season, while it was Western Province’s third. They still top the table despite the result but have played more matches than any other team.