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IN MEMORIAM-The Canadian Cricket Association extends deepest sympathies to two members of our Board, and outstanding long-term contributors to cricket in Canada, in Alberta and in Quebec respectively.To: Fitzroy Sargeant and Family – the loss of a beloved sister in Ottawa.To: Charles Pais and Family – on the loss of his dear mother in India.Charles and Fitzkeep up the hard work.It is never easy in these situationstrue friends however are always there for you.

ScorecardEngland Lions struck a timely blow for the main side as they beat a full-strength South African outfit by six wickets at Derby. Samit Patel pushed his claims for an international debut against Scotland, or later next week against South Africa, with an unbeaten 60 as he and Eoin Morgan added 113 to seal the win with 52 balls to spare.The first of the Lions matches went the South Africans’ way by four wickets at Grace Road and both sides made significant changes for this game. The visitors brought back Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher after they were rested following the Test series, while the Lions also had some fresh faces, including a new captain Ed Joyce, with only four players remaining from the first match.Patel was one of those and enjoyed considerably more success this time after his first-ball duck on Thursday. Matt Prior, promoted to open after batting at No. 5 in the previous match, gave the chase an early push until he was caught behind, but Patel came in with the innings chase at a crucial time on 97 for 4. Andre Nel made two quick breakthroughs by bowling Owais Shah for 46, including three sixes, and Joyce trod on his stumps for 10, however Patel formed an impressive stand with Morgan, the Middlesex left-hander.The required rate was never an issue for the Lions as Patel and Morgan moved along at close to a run-a-ball. Nel and Johan Botha were expensive as the batting pair picked off regular boundaries.The new-look Lions attack caused problems for the South Africans despite a brisk opening stand of 67 between Smith and Herschelle Gibbs. Darren Pattinson, who controversially made his Test debut at Headingley last month, struck the first blow when he bowled Gibbs but was the one bowler to take severe punishment.The key period came when the medium-pacers, Dimitri Mascarenhas, Luke Wright and Jonathan Trott, tied down the scoring. The 26 overs from that trio along with Patel went for just 74 runs. Kallis’ poor run continued when he was trapped lbw by Mascarenhas, who surprisingly isn’t part of the one-day squad, who then bowled Smith for 50 off 67 balls. AB de Villiers and JP Duminy struggled either side of a brief rain break before both fell to Trott and the South Africans were 117 for 5.They rebuilt through Mark Boucher and Vernon Philander, but couldn’t really push the accelerator. Boucher twice cleared the boundary as the pair added 92 and he finished with 63 off 67 balls. The Lions, though, put in a far improved batting display and the likes of Patel and Prior can join up with the England squad to face Scotland on Monday on good heart.

The Somerset finals of the Sport Relief Kwik Cricket competition took place recently at the County Ground in Taunton, and at the end of very exciting day St John’s School at Highbridge emerged as the winners.Altogether over sixty primary schools entered the competition, from which Ash Primary representing South Somerset, Newbridge Primary from Bath and North East Somerset, Wells Central from Mendip and St Johns from Sedgemoor emerged as the finalists.St John’s Highbridge, and Wells Central now go forward to the south west regional finals that take place at Newton Abbot, where they will be hoping to emulate the achievements of Danesfield School, Williton who were the regional champions in 2001 and went onto compete in the the national finals at Trent Bridge.The inaugural Year 5 Kwik Cricket competition, held at Gypsy Lane, the new home of Taunton Cricket Club, was won by Eastover Primary School from Bridgwater.The competition that was organised by the students from Richard Huish College, was preceded by the opening ceremony with each school representing one of the five major cricket playing nations of the world.Somerset Cricket Development Officer Andrew Moulding told me: "The Year 5 Kwik Cricket competiton was a great success, and was enjoyed by everybody who took part. The students from Richard Huish did a fantastic job for us, and their help was much appreciated by all. We also appreciate the support that Vodafone gave to this event."

New Zealand and South Africa’s Academy sides played out a draw on a slow pitch in Townsville yesterday.New Zealand chose to bat first and struggled to get any momentum to their innings. In the 25 overs to lunch on day one they had scored 51/1 and the wicket lost was an unforced error when Jesse Ryder attempted a second run on a fielder’s error.Shanan Stewart did get some scoring going but Jordan Sheed took 59 balls to get off the mark. Stewart finally succumbed when on 41, attempting to hook South African paceman Alan Kruger only to be bowled off a bottom edge. His innings latest two and a half hours.Rob Nicol tried to fire things up and hit two boundaries early in his innings but when off-spinner Imraan Khan was introduced Nicol attempted to hit a full toss through the off-side only to be caught at point.At tea, New Zealand were 124/3 off 51 overs. Sheed was on 21 and Jamie How nine.Sheed departed just after the interval, for 22, having been bowled by South African captain and medium-pacer Alviro Pieterson.With Joseph Yovich joining How, some short singles and better placement of the ball into gaps finally occurred and they added 55 before Yovich attempted to run the ball past the slip field and played the ball onto his stumps.How took 100 balls and 119 minutes to achieve his half-century but saw Kyle Mills fall leg before wicket to Hashim Amla in the same over. The new ball proved a reviver as How attacked and by stumps he and Stu Mills had added 52 for the seventh wicket.However, day two saw play revert to a slower pace as batsmen attempted to get back in synch with the pitch. How and Mills spent 25 minutes tried to get their partnership going but eventually Kruger denied How his century when he edged a ball to wicket-keeper Thando Bula with his score on 89, his overnight score.Kruger also trapped Iain Robertson leg before wicket in what was definitely a much-tighter bowling line adopted by the South Africans on the second day.By lunch, New Zealand were 319/8 with Mills and Gareth Shaw having added 58 for the ninth wicket.After lunch the pair capitalised on the tiring South African bowlers and achieved an unbroken stand of 124 for the ninth wicket when the declaration was made at 385/8.Amazingly, New Zealand were required to open their bowling with an old ball as no new ball was available. That didn’t deter Kyle Mills however, as he induced an edge from Gerhard Strydom which was taken by How in the slips.By tea South Africa were 52/1 after 15 overs. However, after tea off-spinner Jeetan Patel had Pieterson caught at mid-off.Khan faced a fiery spell from Mark Gillespie but survived and after 25 overs New Zealand asked to change the old ball. Khan played with much more confidence and posted a half century off 96 balls but the 102-run partnership with James Schorn was ended when Schorn was leg before wicket for 44 by Gillespie and then Khan’s choice of a second run off a leg bye proved fatal when he couldn’t beat How’s throw. He was run out for 86 scored off 140 balls.By stumps on day two, Amla and Davey Jacobs had taken the side to 180/4.Conditions were perfect on the third day, a fact appreciated by the two batsmen who had as their immediate target avoiding the follow-on mark of 235. Jacobs was especially effective when hitting Patel to the long-on boundary or pulling the pace bowlers in and over square leg.However, when they had added 52, Amla attempted a cut shot against Patel and was caught by wicket-keeper Stu Mills.Jacobs was undaunted and after he brought up his half-century off 62 balls, the South Africans declared 142 runs behind. Eighty overs minimum remained to be bowled.New Zealand went out aggressively with Ryder thriving on the challenge. Forty runs were scored off eight overs but Stewart was caught at mid-wicket off Kruger and just before lunch Ryder was caught at mid-on having his 43 off 33 balls. New Zealand were 73/2.How scored a half-century off 52 balls before ending his run-a-minute innings when suffering a communication error with Nicol and was run out. Nicol and Sheed batted through until a declaration was made leaving South Africa 297 to score off 50 overs.The South African chase didn’t start well as both openers were gone after only seven balls had been bowled. Schorn drove at Yovich but merely edged to How in the slips while Strydom offered a leg-side chance to Mills from Kyle Mills’ bowling.Mills also picked up Amla to have South Africa struggling at 26/3 after nine overs.New Zealand dangled the bait and Pieterson and Jacobs attacked and scored half-centuries as they scored at run-a-ball pace. But Mills came back and removed both of them with Jacobs caught at mid-off and Pieterson trapped leg before wicket. He scored 85 off 91 balls while Jacobs scored 52 off 55.Ryan McLaren fell to a full toss from Patel and was the sixth wicket down when trapped leg before wicket but the lower order batted out for the draw with South Africa 41 runs short of their target.Mills did best of the New Zealand bowlers taking four for 44 from his 10 overs.

As one who has worn many hats in Barbados’ and West Indies’ cricket, David Holford appreciates the importance of the junior coaching programmes at some of the island’s clubs.At the senior level we have to compete with people who are all coached, said the former Barbados captain, West Indies all-rounder, team manager and chief selector and current Spartan Club president and chairman of the Barbados Cricket Association’s Cricket Development Committee.In Australia, England, South Africa, the kids are coached from an early age and they become more technically proficient than our guys, who tend to be natural players.They, through the well-structured coaching programmes, are able to develop players who don’t have the natural talent that we do, but they end up with the discipline that comes from the coaching programme.It is important for us, if we are going to compete at the highest level, to make sure that we equip our players technically to deal with all the different situations that they may encounter.That’s why clubs like Spartan are providing the opportunities for young children between ages five and 14 to have the benefit of quality coaching from some of the island’s eminent coaches.Alvin Greenidge, Ezra Moseley, Roddy Estwick, Dexter Toppin, all highly rated by many observers, are among those involved in Spartan’s programme. Second vice-president Ron Greenidge, Teddy Foster and Sylvan Stoute also lend a hand and from time to time, there is assistance from Philo Wallace and Livy Puckerin, two of the club’s current players.But it was George Linton and Jeffrey Mascoll who were instrumental in getting things going in 1999.Neither is available today because of other commitments, but they laid the groundwork for the success of the programme which was reorganised in 2000 to include the addition of the professional coaches.Holford also mentioned two characteristics which were also spoken of when we featured Wanderers and Richard Straker’s Northern Cricketers high interest in participation and lack of adequate facilities.After about a year, we started getting a lot of kids, the Spartan president said.From a start-up number of 50, the register rose to about 200 at one point. About 150 are now active, but the average session would have about 80 to 90 boys.Like other programmes, Spartan have had to turn back people and inevitably, there are challenges in managing it.It is fairly difficult. One of the things lacking in Barbados is cricket facilities. We do the best we can with what’s available here in Queen’s Park, Holford said.The club, however, is trying to develop some practice pitches in the north-eastern corner of the ground.We need some more facilities. There really is not enough room, not enough wickets to cater to that number of boys. They keep coming all the time and it’s difficult to refuse them.As Holford spoke, there were four sets in sessions taking place on the field. The one on the main pitch was supervised by Wallace.A lot has been said about players not putting back anything into cricket, said the experienced Spartan and Barbados opening batsman. I am one of those players who is prepared once I have the time to come out and put in a big effort in terms of developing the cricket. There is no better age than to do it at this junior age.Wallace also spoke of the enthusiasm he saw among the kids.It’s nice to see that you are asking players to do something and you can see them trying to do it. That is very pleasing, he said. People are saying that our cricket is dying and the talent is not there, but there is loads of talent at this junior level. All we need to do is harness it some more and try to develop that talent.In the north-eastern corner, there was another group, under the guidance of Estwick. Among them were Jason Simmons and Shane Dowrich, two ten-year-olds from West Terrace Primary.I love cricket, Simmons said when he was asked why he joined the programme. When I came here two years ago I was throwing, but now I can bowl.The confident Dowrich, who claims to be a batsman, bowler and wicket-keeper, has big goals.I want to be like Martin Nurse. I want to play cricket for Barbados at the age of 16, he said.Holford has a suggestion that will help those like Simmons and Dowrich improve even more: a competition among those clubs with these programmes.In the past, Spartan played matches against Wanderers and Windward on an informal basis.What is lacking now is a competition for the youngsters. That is what we need to fit into the whole structure, Holford added.It’s one thing to show guys how to play and it’s another to need a platform where they can go and exhibit what they have learnt and learn more from the game situation.

A One-Day International championship table appears to be set to emerge from the International Cricket Council meeting in London next week.A committee of the ICC has been working on the table and a report is expected to be put before the meeting that could see the table in place before this year’s ICC Champions Trophy tournament in Sri Lanka.Because of the rapidly-changing nature of teams involved in one-day matches the system is likely to be based on the results of the last two years, and not reaching as far back as the Test table does.Another important issue to be discussed is how the future tours programme can cater for cancelled tours, especially those where reasons for withdrawal are not as clear cut as those which have faced New Zealand in Pakistan recently, and Australia in Zimbabwe before that.It is understood the ICC will be looking to try and set in place rules which do not allow countries to pull out of tours that they shouldn’t.Some guidelines for use of independent and neutral venues, such as that recently completed in Tangiers in Morocco, will also be discussed.Code of conduct issues relating from the Condon Report on Corruption are expected to be implemented by the meeting.A video to educate players on corruption is being prepared while issues relating to regional security managers, the minimum requirements for access to players’ areas and contractual clauses in player contracts will also be discussed.Security issues which have long been sought by the players are also expected to be implemented with minimum standards applying to all countries. As part of this there will also be discussion of the use of video screens at grounds and their ability to upset spectators and put players at risk from spectator over-reaction.A discussion paper on the procedures relating to the reporting of players with unfair bowling actions is also likely to produce some debate as the result of dissatisfaction having been expressed about the process as it stands at the moment.The after-effects of what are described as quite revolutionary technology changes being implemented for the ICC Champions Trophy tournament will be discussed along with what might happen after the tournament where the changes are successful or otherwise.Bonus points as they apply in One-Day International series will also be on the agenda.

Despite a determined innings of 73 from captain Stephen Fleming, Middlesex were beaten by 71-runs to end their interest in this year’s competition.The New Zealand captain faced 108 deliveries and hit seven boundaries but found little support from his colleagues with the 22 from Paul Weekes being the chief contributor.The pair put on 55 for the fourth wicket in a watchful 18 overs before Weekes was stumped but thereon, Middlesex failed to provide any support for the impressive Fleming whose authority was the day’s highlight.Six wickets fell in 12 overs including that of Fleming whose one man effort ended when he gave a return catch off a leading edge to off-spinner Tim Mason and with his dismissal went his county’s hopes. Mason also claimed two further wickets to finish a commendable performance with 3-40.Earlier, the home side’s batsmen displayed a level of consistency throughout the order that Fleming would have desired. Although opening batsmen Darren Robinson had been dismissed for a duck for the second time in successive matches, six Essex batsmen weighed in with useful contributions.Stephen Peters, 48, acted as the backbone for his side, being involved in two valuable partnerships before being trapped lbw to end an eighth wicket partnership of 53 in eight overs with Ashley Cowan that gave the innings the required substance. Cowan made 45 runs from 47 balls in a breezy innings that bolstered Peters’ efforts, before being bowled by Chad Keegan off the final ball of the innings to give the bowler his third wicket.

Pakistan’s Mohammad Sami is struggling to be fit for tomorrow’s First Test against England at Lord’s.The 20-year-old fast bowler is reported to have a shin problem and will undergo a fitness test in the morning before a decision is made.

Meanwhile Pakistan captain, Waqar Younis, has revealed how he tried to convince England coach Duncan Fletcher to coach Pakistan after the pair worked together at Glamorgan.Fletcher and Waqar helped Glamorgan win the County Championship and Waqar was effusive in praise of the man who has played a large part in turning around the fortunes of the England squad.”He’s the perfect man for the job. I asked him to come to Pakistan when I played the first year at Glamorgan,” said Waqar.”Duncan’s a good man and a good coach, but now I’m on the other side. He co-ordinates well with the players, he understands the nature of the boys. England did well to give Duncan a longer period of time and he proved himself.”But Waqar will not let such respect impede him as he attempts to lead his side to victory. He is hoping that Pakistan’s good record at Lord’s will stand the team in good stead over the next few days.”We’ve got a very good record at Lord’s, I’ve been here twice: it’s been very good to me and the team also. Hopefully if we put our act together it will do well again for us.”The boys are really pumped up, they are really looking forward to it, and Lord’s has got a special thing about it that everybody wants to come here and do well.”We’ve won two Tests here and that will always stay in my mind. Starting this game I’ll keep in my mind what we have done before and that’s what we are looking forward to doing again.”Abdur Razzaq is likely to bat at number three, with Azhar Mahmood or Faisal Iqbal coming in at six.”We have got a balanced side with a good all-rounder like Razzaq in the middle which really helps the team in both ways.”We really depend more on bowling, this is our strength,” Waqar suggested.Waqar was also generous in praise of the England team, and admitted that his team were keen to avenge defeat in the winter when England snatched a series victory in an historic game in Karachi.”England are playing well, in the last few series they have proved themselves and are looking a good unit. We have to play some really hard cricket to beat them, which we are aiming to do.””Losing any game hurts, but then again it’s all over," says Waqar. “We’ve got to think that it’s Lord’s now. I’m very proud that I’m here captaining at Lord’s, which is probably the best ground in the world.

ScorecardMichael Clarke had reason to smile on day one of the Sheffield Shield for 2012-13•Getty Images

If New South Wales did not quite erase the scar of being bowled out for 91 on the first day of the corresponding match last season, then the rounding up of Western Australia’s batsmen for 217 was a sound start to their bid for a victory to start the Sheffield Shield for 2012-13.Led for the first time in a Shield match by Australia’s captain Michael Clarke, the Blues bowlers made the most of their leader’s successful call at the coin toss, limiting the Warriors to 3 for 61 at lunch then chipping away across a rain-speckled afternoon despite the efforts of Mitchell Marsh and Adam Voges (44).Scott Henry and Peter Nevill, fit again after missing Sunday’s limited overs match with food poisoning, then survived 1.5 overs without loss before bad light called a halt to play.As he had done in the one-dayer, Doug Bollinger returned the best figures for NSW, though it was an ensemble effort as Trent Copeland, Josh Hazlewood, Moises Hanriques and the spinner Steve O’Keefe all contributed.The wicketkeeper Brad Haddin claimed a trio of catches behind the stumps as lateral movement and outside edges accounted for three of the first four wickets, Marcus North upset to have given away the other when he hooked at Hazlewood and offered a catch to Bollinger at fine leg shortly before lunch.Marsh’s afternoon innings was a patient follow-up to the 78 he managed in the one-day match, but he and the rest of the bowlers will now have to redouble their efforts on day two if they are to regather the ground lost by the batsmen.

Central Districts passed two tests against a strong New Zealand Selection XI at the Bert Sutcliffe Oval at Lincoln University today, and succeeded in getting quality practice ahead of their forthcoming major assignment.Ewen Thompson, with 5-29, overshadowed fellow left-arm quick Shayne O’Connor. However, his international hopes centred on a trip to Perth, Western Australia, for the inaugural Champions Cup four nations domestic one-day tournament, rather than Tuesday’s Test against Pakistan.Thompson even qualified for a interview from TV One, at almost two metres tall towering over diddy David Di Somma. Thompson told CricInfo it was “good to get a few wickets on the day of the selection,” and made the ball move around as the early morning sun removed damp from the wicket. CD coach Dipak Patel responded to whether he thought Thompson had overshadowed Test shoe-in Shayne O’Connor today by saying, “I suppose he has, he’s bowled very well to good batsmen and got good batsmen out.”However, the major plus from this match was the form and fitness of O’Connor, who has bowled 27 overs during the three days of matches. He took 6-32 off 17 overs on Monday and Tuesday, followed by 1-44 off ten today. The last ball of his spell, bowled to Greg Todd, was dropped at second slip by Kerry Walmsley. With his number of overs objective reached he was seen in lengthy conversation with the chairman of selectors, Sir Richard Hadlee.Hadlee would not be drawn on his selection for next Tuesday’s third Test at Hamilton, but did tell CricInfo, “we know we’ve got to find at least one new fast bowler. We’ve had a good observation in this game as we will do in the Wellington game which starts tomorrow against Pakistan. So, there’s still a number of players on trial at the moment.””We’re pleased to see Shayne O’Connor back in action. He’s the type of player we’d welcome back into the side because he swings the ball, he’s left-arm, he’s different, but clearly we’ve got to know what his match fitness is like and whether he can get through a workload of perhaps bowling 50 overs in a match.”The other bowler with a real Test chance, Brooke Walker, 24 on Sunday, took 2-19 from ten overs and was impressive in his limited opportunity on Monday with 2-15 off five. His flipper was working well, and Sir Richard commented, “he’s bowled nicely. He did bowl well.”So, while CD prepare for their Perth test, it seems at least one other man on display here this week has his own Test to look forward to.