Zimbabwe in India

First one-day international, Faridabad:
Zimbabwe 276-9 (49.4 overs) beat India 274-6 (50 overs) by one wicket.

Doug Marillier produced an astonishing innings to snatch victory for Zimbabwe with two balls remaining as the best-of-five series got off to a thrilling start.

He hit a six and 10 fours in making 56 not out off only 24 balls with the winning boundary top edged from the bowling of leg-spinner Anil Kumble.

India were looking to bounce back after losing the last two matches of the recent series against England and appeared in control after posting a new one-day record score at the Nahar Singh Stadium.

Zimbabwe looked out of it at 210 for eight in the 45th over but India's bowlers were unable to contain Marillier, whose improvisation and clean hitting saw the tourists to a famous triumph.     Match report | Statistics

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Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly offered no excuses after an inspired Doug Marillier snatched victory for Zimbabwe in the one-day series opener at Faridabad.

"I have never seen anyone hit like this in seven years of international cricket," said Ganguly afterwards.

"He played a fabulous knock, we just couldn't contain him."

Marillier made 56 not out off 24 balls after India had appeared to be coasting to victory.

"Even in the last over we thought we would win. It was very frustrating and disappointing but Marillier took it away from us," Ganguly added.

Australia in South Africa

Predicting anything other than a convincing Australian victory over South Africa in Cape Town would be to laugh in the face of reason.

After four successive - and heavy - Test defeats by Steve Waugh's team, the home side's preparations could hardly have been worse.

Already minus chief strike bowler Allan Donald, who decided to heed his body after suffering the latest in a series of injuries at Johannesburg and retire from Test cricket, the selectors were then forced change the team they intitially announced.

Daryll Cullinan's decision to opt out because of a contract dispute meant a call-up for uncapped batsman Graeme Smith.

Then, when it was confirmed that captain Shaun Pollock was still not ready for a five-day following a side strain, consideration had to be given as to who would lead the side.

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Mark Boucher is to captain South Africa in the second Test against Australia, beginning on Friday, after Shaun Pollock was forced to withdraw through injury.

Vice captain Boucher, who led the side during the innings and 360-run first Test defeat, was reportedly reluctant to take on the job again.

But Pollock's failed fitness test on his side strain, coupled with the withdrawal of veteran Daryll Cullinan in a pay dispute, left the selectors little choice.

England in New Zealand

Ian Butler is set to make his Test debut against England in Christchurch next week after being named ahead of Daryl Tuffey in New Zealand's 12-man squad.

Butler will deputise for the injured Shane Bond and take the new ball with Chris Cairns as New Zealand look to use pace against England in the first Test at Lancaster Park.

Chris Martin has also been selected despite failing to trouble the England batsmen for Canterbury during the current warm-up match at Hagley Oval.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming was instrumental in Butler's selection after being impressed by his bowling during a recent domestic match between Wellington and Northern Districts.

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Coach Duncan Fletcher has criticised the fitness of some members of the England Test squad who missed the one-day series in New Zealand.

On the eve of the side's final warm-up match in Christchurch, Fletcher said he was surprised that unnamed players had not followed their fitness programmes.

Six players - James Ormond, Usman Afzaal, Warren Hegg, Mark Butcher, Richard Dawson and Mark Ramprakash - joined up with the squad last week ahead of the first Test on 13 March.

"I think they've got to work on their fitness a bit better," said Fletcher.

Asian Test Championship

Asian Test Championship final, Lahore, day two (stumps):
Sri Lanka 447-5 v Pakistan 234 all out.

Kumar Sangakkara hit a superb 230 as Sri Lanka extended their first innings lead over Pakistan to 213 runs on day two of the Asian Test Championship final.

With three days still to play in Lahore, Sri Lanka have an excellent chance of avenging their 175-run defeat by Pakistan in the first Asian final in 1998-99.

Sangakkara became just the sixth wicket-keeper to score a Test double century in an innings that included three sixes and 33 fours.

But he was out two runs short of the highest - Andy Flower's 232 against India last year - when he edged Abdur Razzaq to the slips three overs before bad light stopped play.

Miscellaneous

The frosty relations between Sir Don Bradman and two former Australian teammates are revealed in a letter which is to be auctioned in Melbourne later this month.

The letter was written by Sir Don in 1995 and makes plain his feelings about Jack Fingleton and Bill O'Reilly.

"Bradman pens a brief but deliberate criticism of his ex-teammates in which he is unequivocal over the motivations for their supposed campaign against him.

"It is clear he believes it is based on professional envy and religious bigotry.

"At the end of the letter, though they are both long dead, it is equally clear that he still regards them contemptuously," said a statement from auctioneers Christies.

The letter is part of a collection of sporting memorablia due to be sold in Melbourne on 26 March.
The complete coverage >

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Viv Richards - one of the greatest batsmen of all time, and arguably the very best of his era - celebrated his 50th birthday on Thursday.

The Antiguan lit up two decades of Test cricket in the 1970s and '80s with a series of dazzling innings, marked by rare panache, power and grace.

Richards was a player brimming with charisma, who enlivened matches by a presence that always carried a promise that something special could happen at any moment.

He was an imperious batsman, who could intimidate any bowler just by the mere fact of his being at the crease.
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Fast bowler Darren Gough will undergo surgery on Thursday on a knee injury sustained during England's last one-day international in New Zealand.

But his county Yorkshire say that, if rehabilitation goes according to plan, Gough will be available for selection at the start of the domestic season.

Gough misses the Test series in New Zealand because of contractual issues, and will instead have an operation on a small tear to his right cartilage.

"I don't see it as a major problem, and I reckon I'll be fit for the start of the season in April," Gough said.

"These days they can perform keyhole surgery which speeds up the recovery period. So at most I'll be out for four weeks, five weeks maximum."

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