NatWest series (India, Sri Lanka and England)

NatWest Series final, Lord's
India 326-8 (49.3 overs) beat England 325-5 (50 overs) by two wickets.

India overhauled the second-highest total in one-day international history to win the NatWest Series final at Lord's.

Needing 326 to beat England, youngsters Yuvraj Singh (69) and Mohammad Kaif (87 not out) turned the game on its head with a defiant stand of 121.

At 146-5 - and with Sachin Tendulkar bowled by Ashley Giles for just 14 - India looked to be heading for defeat.

But Yuvraj and Mohammad refused to panic, even when the required run rate moved above eight an over.

Scorecard | Match report | Images | Statistics

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Like the other cricket fans, Mohammad Kaif's family had also lost all hopes of the country pulling off a victory against England at Lord's on Saturday and missed watching live the cricketer's heroics as India scripted an incredible two-wicket victory.

Kaif's brother Saif, a Ranji level cricketer, dejectedly switched off the television and went to watch the tear-jerker Devdas at a movie theatre in Allahabad, their native place, along with father Tarif and mother Kaiser.

"I switched off the television and we went out to see the movie after Sachin Tendulkar got out and India still needed another 180 runs for a victory," Saif said.

"We had lost all hopes when Sachin got out and thought India was heading for a big defeat," Saif, who plays for Uttar Pradesh, said.

"Someone told us midway through the film that India had won the match and that Kaif had played a great innings," he said.

Unable to digest the enormity of the reality, the first thing that the family did in the morning was to religiously go through the repeat telecast and savour India's historic victory.

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Nasser Hussain said he would have preferred to have scored a duck and ended up on the winning side after hitting a century in England's NatWest Series final defeat.

"We are very disappointed but you have to give credit where it's due and India played out of their skins today," he said.

"You can't point fingers in the dressing room. You've got to say 'all credit, you've tried hard throughout the tournament'."

England failed to win a game in this series last year, and Hussain added: "We've got to improve a few things but we're a much improved side.

"It's hard to swallow going from not winning a game to today - but this Indian side keeps coming at you - they played really well."

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Cricketing legend Kapil Dev today hailed the Indian victory over England in the Natwest tri-series final and said the countrymen do not get the chance to witness such 'fantastic' victories regularly.

"It is a fantastic win. Such victories are rare, be it in England, India or elsewhere", said the great all-rounder.

He said the high point of the match was the performance of the youngsters, who came up with outstanding performance to win the match for India.

Referring to Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif, who were instrumental in scripting a fine comeback, Kapil said both have helped the side by lifting the fielding standard and are outstanding performers.

He said the selectors have done a good job by picking up the best possible team for England. "The best team has been picked up for the tour. The side won as it played to its potential".

Kapil said despite the fine victory the side has the ability to lift their game further. "The side needs to have atleast one accomplished all-rounder to perform better," Kapil said

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England coach Duncan Fletcher has called for a shake-up in the international cricket calendar to prevent players retiring prematurely.

Fletcher's call came just a day after England's premier batsman, Graham Thorpe, announced his decision to retire from one-day international cricket due to family pressures.

The former Zimbabwean captain revealed that he had already talked Thorpe out of retirement once before, in Sri Lanka last year.

"He has spoken to me about it some time before and I persuaded him to stay and play one-day cricket," Fletcher said.

"This is the second time he's turned around and said he's had enough."

Thorpe is in the process of going through a divorce and felt that he needed to spend more time with his two young children.

Fletcher admitted that with England's present schedule burn out could become more and more common. "It's definitely a concern," he said.

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Nasser Hussain will receive no official sanction over his gesture towards the press box after completing his century against India at Lord's on Saturday.

The England captain could have been punished under the ICC's code of conduct for his outburst which was inspired by criticism he had received for batting at number three in the order.

However, match referee Mike Procter indicated he would not be taking any action, a stance backed by the England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tim Lamb.

"I would describe it more as a gesture of defiance rather than insulting," Lamb commented.

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The banking group NatWest has clinched a new three-year deal to sponsor England's home one-day matches until 2005.

This year's edition of the tri-nations tournament culminated in one of the most remarkable finals in one-day history as India beat England at Lord's on Saturday.

In addition to the NatWest Series there will be a new, three-match one-day international tournament known as the NatWest Challenge.

The Challenge will involve either a third visiting nation or one of the participants of the NatWest Series.

In 2003 the two touring nations will be South Africa and Zimbabwe, with Pakistan taking part in the Challenge.

Tim Lamb, chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board, said: "NatWest's long-standing support of English and Welsh cricket has been invaluable to the game.

"This new addition will enable England to play a guaranteed nine days of competitive one-day international cricket each summer."

World Cup 2003

South African skipper Shaun Pollock is confident that he can become the first man to lead the host nation to victory in the Cricket World Cup.

The tournament, featuring 14 teams, takes place in the Republic in February and March next year and Pollock believes he has a good enough squad to win despite their 6-1 defeat by Australia in a home one-day series earlier this year.

Speaking on BBC Radio Five Live's Jamie Theakston Cricket Show, he said: "No home team has managed to lift the trophy, so it's a record that needs to be broken. Hopefully, we can be the ones that do it.

"I'm very confident. We've got a very good side and some very talented cricketers. Some of them are the best in the world.

"If we can play well throughout the tournament and not let the pressure of being home nation get to us, I don't see any reason why we can't win."

Miscellaneous

Australian star Shane Warne has launched into a new diet, in which butter and beer are banned, in a bid to ensure he stays at his cricketing peak.

The 32-year-old leg-spinner, still the best in the business, has already lost nearly 12 kilos. Warne, in England to promote the paperback version of his autobiography, is slimming down to ensure he stays at the peak of his powers for the upcoming double bill of the Ashes followed by the World Cup in South Africa.

In an interview to English newspaper on Sunday, Warne said: "I looked at the international programme and what lay ahead and it's an unbelievable schedule.

"I've been training really hard, dieting, cutting out butter, minimal cheese and pizzas. "I still have chips occasionally, but not with every meal - no beer, I'm only drinking wine.

"I'm into fruit, three litres of water a day, soups and salads. I'm actually getting some muscles which I'm starting to enjoy."

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The International Cricket Council has agreed a multi-million dollar sponsorship deal for their elite panel of umpires and referees.

Emirates Airline will be financially responsible for salaries, travel, training and administrative costs for the 13 match officials for the next three years.

"This is a significant and substantial commercial partnership and I am delighted to welcome Emirates as an official ICC business partner.

"In a difficult market for sponsorship and media rights, the agreement represents excellent value to the game and demonstartes the enduring appeal of international cricket to the corporate world," said ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed.

The airline, which has also sponsored Chelsea FC, the Dubai Cup horse race, tennis and golf, succeeds National Grid, who backed ICC match officials for six years until 2000.

The eight umpires and five match referees are now responsible for all Test cricket.

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England batsman Graham Thorpe has announced his retirement from one-day international cricket. The Surrey left-hander's decision came after he was left out of the team for the NatWest Series final against India at Lord's.

He explained that the demands of playing both Test cricket and one-day matches are putting too much strain on his body.

He also wants to devote more time to family life, having been forced to fly home from last winter's tour to India because of marital problems.

"In terms of keeping my body fit it's becoming harder to do, playing both Tests and one-day internationals so I've decided to concentrate on just playing Test matches," he said.

"I also want to have more time to build a relationship with my two children, given my new personal circumstances at home."

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Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar is set to play for famous English pub side Lashings, despite pulling out of next month's triangular one-day series in Morocco through fatigue.

The 26-year-old told team officials he was not fit enough to face South Africa and Sri Lanka. "Akhtar told us he is feeling weakness in his legs and fatigue. He needs rest and will not be joining the camp," said manager Yawar Saeed.

However, Akhtar's elder brother, Shahid, told that Shoaib has been granted permission to play for Lashings, possibly on a lucrative contract.

"Shoaib's top priority is to play for Pakistan but like other players if he gets an opportunity to play and earn money then he deserves that," Shahid said.

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The Eastern Cricket Union in South Africa could lose vital financial backing for failing to integrate black players, according to reports.

The Sunday Independent newspaper said a report had strongly criticised the take-up of cricket by youngsters in Mpumalanga province, home to Easterns.

"Transforming conservative mindsets among so-called white teachers and administrators remains one of the most challenging transformation issues facing Easterns," the paper quoted the report as saying.

"The situation has become so serious that the board is considering withdrawing financial support until they change."

The report was tabled at a seminar last weekend, the same meeting at which the South African United Cricket Board decided to abolish selection race quotas at international and senior provincial level.

Bangladesh in Sri Lanka

Bangladesh's first warm-up match on their tour of Sri Lanka has ended in a draw. The three-day game at Moratuwa featured two scores of note by two of the tourists' youngest squad members.

Hannan Sarkar, just 19 years old, hit 92 off just 128 balls in the first innings, while Ehsanul Haque, 22, made an unbeaten 100 in the second innings.

Neither player has yet featured in a Test or one-day international for Bangladesh. The tourists had been set 323 to win in 61 overs on the final day when Sri Lanka A declared their second innings on 168-7.

They finished on 201-5, with Mohammad Al-Sahariar contributing a dashing 41-ball innings of 42 at the top of the order.

For the home team, Tillekeratne Dilshan hit 136 as they were inserted on the first day, the former Test batsman scoring his runs in a four-and-a-half hour knock.

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