England in India

Anil Kumble was victorious in his first match as captain as India completed a four-wicket triumph over England to take a 2-1 lead in the one-day series. Kumble, standing in for the injured Sourav Ganguly, took two wickets and injected a previously unseen urgency in the field as England were bowled out for 217 in Madras. In reply, Sachin Tendulkar crashed 68 from 79 deliveries, putting on 107 in the first 18 overs with Virender Sehwag to put india on course for a fine victory.

Pakistan in Bangladesh

Abdur Razzaq produced an inspired all-round performance as Pakistan completed a clean sweep in the final match of their Bangladesh tour. Razzaq took six for 35, his best figures in a one-day international, and then made 25 not out off 23 balls, as the tourists passed their target with ease. Pakistan 221-2 (35.3 overs) beat Bangladesh 220 (48.5 overs) by 8 wickets

Triangular in Australia

After the row about his "brainless" jibe at South African Steve Elworthy, Steve Waugh was pleased to be able to focus on playing cricket. The Aussie skipper said: "The pressure's on New Zealand this time. They said it was on us at the start of the year. Now that they're winning, they can possibly say the pressure's on them to keep winning, that's the way we'll be looking at it."

Miscellaneous

Former Pakistan star Salim Malik will have his appeal against a life ban for match-fixing heard on March 13th. Justice Karamat Bhandari, who is also conducting the latest inquiry into corruption at the 1999 World Cup, will hear the case in the High Court in Lahore.
Malik was banned after an earlier inquiry heard that he had offered Shane Warne and Tim May $50,000 to bowl badly in the Karachi Test of 1994-95, won by Pakistan by one wicket.

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Carl Hooper leads his party to Sharjah to play Pakistan today, with selector Joel Garner saying that the focus should be on the long term. "We have to stop looking at tournaments and start looking at development," he told the Barbados Nation. "It makes no sense just picking players to win, when in effect we don't have the quality to win."

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Mike Denness has been named as match referee for the forthcoming Pakistan v West Indies series in Sharjah despite being at the center of an ongoing row.

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Pace bowler Mohammad Zahid has been recalled by Pakistan for the forthcoming series against West Indies in Sharjah, four years after his last Test appearance.
He replaces veteran all-rounder Wasim Akram, who suffered a hamstring injury in Bangladesh and has been ordered to rest.
He was once described as the fastest bowler in the world by Brian Lara.

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