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Donald Bradman’s status as the Superman of Australian batsmanship lives on, with two of The Don’s most gargantuan knocks voted among the three greatest innings ever played by Australian cricketers.The historic poll, published in the latest edition of magazine, has been conducted among a selection panel of 30 cricket experts and former Australian Test players, representing every decade since the 1940s.Bradman’s 254 against England at Lord’s in 1930 – which he himself considered his most technically impeccable innings – was voted No. 1. In second place comes his team-mate Stan McCabe’s daring 232 at Trent Bridge in 1938, when McCabe farmed the strike and slaughtered the English bowling when all seemed lost. Third is Bradman’s 334 – including 309 in a single day – at Headingley, also made in his golden English summer of 1930.Of his innings voted the greatest ever, his 254 at Lord’s, Bradman wrote in his autobiography : “Practically without exception every ball went where it was intended.”Two innings from the modern era round up the top five. Dean Jones’s 210 in the tied Test at Chennai in 1986-87, when he batted for more than eight hours in exhausting heat and ultimately lost control of his bodily functions, was voted the fourth-greatest Australian innings. In fifth position comes Kim Hughes’s epic 100 not out against West Indies in the Boxing Day Test of 1981-82. The next highest score that day was 21.”The list encapsulates the most precious, tantalising, uniquely red-blooded traits of Australian batsmanship,” said Christian Ryan, the editor of . “Our voters were dazzled by the huge numbers and helter-skelter scoring rates of Don Bradman and Matthew Hayden. They were struck by the bravery under fire of Stan McCabe, Kim Hughes and Bill Lawry. And they were charmed by the pristine artistry of Mark Waugh, Greg Chappell and Victor Trumper.”Of the current Australian XI, Adam Gilchrist’s matchwinning 149 not out against Pakistan in Hobart four years ago is ranked the sixth-best Australian innings in history. At No. 7 is Steve Waugh’s 200 at Kingston in 1994-95, when Australia finally wrested the Frank Worrell Trophy off West Indies. Matthew Hayden’s world-record 380, accumulated against Zimbabwe at the start of this summer, is rated 10th best.Neil Harvey, with six innings in the top 50, figures more prominently than any other Australian batsman. Bradman and Steve Waugh (four each) are next best, followed by Ian Chappell and Doug Walters (three). A second McCabe innings – his unbeaten 187 in the opening Bodyline Test of 1932-33 – finished in eighth position.The poll is the largest of its kind undertaken in Australian cricket-publishing history. The 30-man selection panel includes former Test stars Richie Benaud, Alan Davidson, Ian Chappell, Mark Taylor, Ian Craig, Ian Healy, Geoff Lawson, Colin McDonald, Ashley Mallett, Rick McCosker and Sam Loxton.The latest edition of commemorates the 50 greatest innings with 50 classic essays by the leading cricket writers from Australia and the world.

James Pearson who is with the England Under 19’s played in the successfultest contributing a bright and brisk 34 in the first innings but unfortunately gloved a lifter in the second innings for 5.However, isn’t it nice to have a Gloucestershire player involved in anEnglish success over Australia.

In a thoroughly engrossing game, first seeds Scotland survived a strong challenge from hosts Canada at Maple Leaf Cricket Club. On a glorious summer’s day, in front of a crowd that reached close to three hundred, the two teams battled hard for 99 overs of excellent cricket. The Canadians fell just twelve runs short, as the tailenders could not cope with the first-class pace bowling of John Blain and James Brinkley.The Scots opened with Lockhart and Patterson, a well contrasted pair, with Lockhart playing cautiously and Patterson going for his shots. Patterson’s 40 was made under extraordinarily difficult circumstances given that he had received news just before the match that his father was gravely ill; he, in fact, left the ground between innings to catch a flight home to Scotland. He applied himself remarkably and, by the time he was bowled by John Davison (2/43), had made an excellent contribution to an opening partnership of 66. Asim Butt was sent in to lift the run rate but his first attempt at a big hit resulted in a spiralling catch that was well taken by Joe Harris.The Canadian spinners restricted the Scots’ bats well. Barry Seeberan (1/32), in particular, bowled superbly, combining clever flight with changes of pace to keep the batsmen off balance on a wicket that offered little assistance.It was Davison, however, who removed the patient Lockhart for 46, with the assistance of wicketkeeper Ashish Bagai who executed a neat leg side stumping from a faster delivery.Drew Parsons (42) and Colin Smith (29) then proceeded to build a useful partnership, although Parsons was struggling to find his touch and Smith was unluckily run out when Seeberan deflected a hard hit drive on to the non-striker’s stumps.The Scots were ultimately unable to significantly accelerate the scoring rate in the final overs, their hopes having been dealt an especially cruel blow when Seeberan claimed the wicket of captain George Salmond (2) with a nice piece of bowling, holding back a flighted delivery to induce a catch at short cover.Bagai then ran out Parsons with a neat piece of fielding, hitting from square on as the batsmen thought about scampering a leg bye. Medium pacer Sanjay Thuraisingham (2/34) also took two late wickets as the Scots pressed earnestly for a total in excess of 200.Seeberan was perhaps the pick of the bowlers but it was a fine all-round effort from the Canadian attack, backed up by keen fielding.Canadian openers Nicholas Degroot (23) and Ishwar Maraj (19) found Blain (1/29) in feisty mood, with the ball dug in very short several times in the first over. Short bowling, even at Blain’s pace, was unlikely to succeed on this batsman-friendly wicket, though, and the Canadians got off to a good start.Maraj, in particular, went for his shots well until he was trapped lbw by Blain. Degroot also looked very comfortable initially, driving well, and hooking anything short with time to spare. But Craig Wright (2/22) beat him with a change of pace for the second lbw of the innings.Muneeb Diwan (36) played carefully, picking up many of his runs through the third man region. Captain Harris (17) also looked comfortable until he played a poor shot, keeper Smith taking a good catch. Harris slapped his bat on his pads in frustration as he walked away, the third Canadian to play himself in but not build a significant innings.Ian Billcliff (26) also looked solid until he was yorked by Greig Williamson (3/22) and Davison (0) edged the next ball to where slip might have been only to see Smith take a brilliant one-handed catch.By this point, the match seemed to be swinging Scotland’s way. Nonetheless, Melvin Croning (21) and Bagai (17*) took the score to 164 with intent. There were seven overs to go when a mix-up resulted in a run out. Thuraisingham (0), often a useful pinch hitter, was then yorked first ball and Canadian hopes slumped again. Bagai kept his head, and Canada was still in the game as the final over approached. Ultimately, however, another run out and a good catch from Smith left them twelve runs short.

Sussex face the possibility of censure or even a points deduction from theECB after 19 wickets fell on the first day of their second division matchagainst Northamptonshire at Eastbourne.A statement is expected this morning after deliberations between pitchinspector Mike Denness, who was at the Saffrons all day, and the umpiresover a well grassed, but dry surface.Bowlers on both sides benefitted from ideal conditions for swing bowlingwith Sussex’s James Kirtley passing 50 wickets for the season when heclaimed a season’s best 6-41 as the second division leaders were bowled outfor 110.New ball partner Jason Lewry supported him with 3-38 with only Russell Warren, who made 151 when the teams met a week ago, top-scoring with a gritty 29 off 81 balls.Sussex’s batsmen found the going just as tough when they replied and only asuperb innings from skipper Chris Adams prevented them conceding a firstinnings deficit.They were struggling on 83-6 after tea, but Adams put on 55 for the next twowickets with Nick Wilton and Kirtley as he reached his sixth half-century ofthe season. Adams finished unbeaten on 82, made off 135 balls with 13 boundaries, with Sussex 151-9, a lead of 41.Principal support came from Tony Cottey, who made 17 in a fourth wicketstand of 43, and wicketkeeper Nick Wilton (14).

Former West Indies batsman Desmond Haynes wants a regional cricket academy to be set up in order to get West Indies cricket back up the ladder.Speaking at the “Rebuilding West Indies Glory” Sports Desk Symposium in St Anne’s, Haynes said, “Too much money is being spent by the West Indies Cricket Board by bringing in these coaches from outside, when we in the Caribbean can do a better job. If I had to make a choice, I don’t think I would appoint a coach of the West Indies team.”Let me tell you, as a former player, that when you reach the West Indies senior-team level, it is very hard to change a player. I think that the WICB should concentrate on cricket at the youth level and mould these players into winners.”I am saying that a cricket academy in the West Indies is very crucial to our success. The former great players might not want to travel with the team day in and day out but they may want to still assist the players. Remember, these guys have families and they would have travelled a lot during their playing days. Now they may not want to continue that but more importantly, I think that they will be better served at the academy than being around the Test team for just a few days before a match.”Haynes, 52, believes former players can add value to an academy by conducting clinics. “What can be done is that the WICB sets up an academy and allows former players to come in and host clinics in the different disciplines. This would work well and will be of tremendous help to the young players.””With the technology available to us right now, the coaches can sit at the academy and view videos of the players during their net sessions and matches and make recommendations to them. You don’t have to be on the spot to make a change.”Haynes added that a number of mini-academies should be set up in each territory for the younger players before they move on to the major academy.Deryck Murray, the president of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board and former West Indies wicketkeeper, believes the only way West Indies cricket can move forward is for officials to stop fooling themselves into believing that the team is in a rebuilding phase.Speaking at the same symposium, Murray said, “If we win a Test match in 2008 and people say that we have started the rebuilding process, then this is a disgrace to all the players who have worn the maroon cap before. We have a world record for a team in the rebuilding phase. We have been rebuilding for 15 years and the process still continues. The only time we would rebuild West Indies cricket is when we stop fooling ourselves and start doing the things that would take our cricket back up the ladder.”Another foolish thing some people say is that we would be back to winning ways because we have players with talent. Well, I have news for them, and that is, every country has talent and this means nothing if the talent is not turned into progress.”We in the Caribbean are always looking for the easy way out and this is doing us no good. What is needed at this time is for fans in the Caribbean to pressurise all stakeholders to ensure that they do the right things to initiate the rebuilding process.”Murray said the only way West Indies could start winning again was for the players to instill a measure of pride in their cricket.

Manoj Tiwary, the Indian middle-order batsman, has been ruled out for three to four weeks after scans revealed a tear on his right shoulder. He will undergo surgery on May 14, the Indian board announced today.Tiwary, the Bengal player yet to make his international debut, picked up the injury during a fielding session before the first ODI against Bangladesh in Mirpur and was sent home after consulting an orthopedic specialist. On returning to Mumbai, he was examined by Dr Anant Joshi, and MRI scans specifically revealed a tear of antero inferior labrum. Dr Joshi will be carrying out the arthroscopic surgery as well.”Post surgery, he is likely to be in a sling for three to four weeks and will then require rehab before full function can be achieved,” the BCCI stated in a media release. India’s next assignment will be a three-match series against Ireland at the end of June and Tiwary should have enough time to recover before the tour begins.

Sachin Tendulkar should be fit for a triangular one-day international series in Sri Lanka in August, according to Andrew Leipus, India’s former physio.Leipus is currently monitoring Tendulkar’s recovery from a shoulder injury, and he said that while it was not possible to put an exact date on when he will be fit again, he said that progress was good and that a comeback in the one-day series in August was not out of the question.”He has a few more weeks to go before he is 100% fit,” Leipus told Zee Sport. “He actually recovered very, very well considering what he had done to the shoulder. It’s hard to give an exact date but I think he’ll be ready for the Sri Lankan series.”We have a lot of media attention given to this player,” he added. “But we must not forget that this person is a human being. So if we put all the factors together – his age, the amount of cricket he has played and the amount of cricket that is played these days – there is bound to be some wear and tear.”

BRISBANE, Oct 16 AAP – Brendan Nash can’t match the size or reputation of his famous classmates and teammates but he became Queensland’s unlikely star in the Pura Cup cricket clash with NSW at the Gabba today.Nash batted through the first day, posting an unbeaten 141 as the Bulls reached 4-299 after being sent in to bat.It was Nash’s second first-class century but his most mature, outshining well-known teammates Jimmy Maher (39), Andrew Symonds (42), Martin Love (27) and Stuart Law (14).The son of a Jamaican Olympic swimmer, Nash was born in Perth, raised in Cairns and schooled at Brisbane’s Nudgee College in the same year as AFL Brownlow Medallist Jason Akermanis and Wallaby flyhalf Elton Flatley.The 24-year-old left-hander, holding down the place of Test opener Matthew Hayden, is the shortest and lightest member of the Bulls squad and he became the thorn in NSW’s side.”It was really tough batting early on and the wicket wasn’t as flat as it looked,” Nash said.”It was just a matter of concentrating and there were times when I had bad patches of about five overs but I came through and I’m pretty happy with the way I stuck at it.”Nash survived 282 balls in 370 minutes against a Blues attack which struggled to take quick wickets on a greenish deck.Don Nash (2-39) and Nathan Bracken (1-52) kept the brakes on the batsmen early after the Blues began without Stuart Clark, who was ruled out hours before the match with an ankle injury.Rookie Doug Bollinger (0-46) made a sound first-class debut in Clark’s place while leg-spinner Stuart MacGill (1-93) toiled for 28 overs, earning a reward when he had Love caught at slip.MacGill almost had Nash twice in the final session but the Queenslander survived sharp chances at 104, 115 and 133 to leave the Blues lamenting their missed opportunities.They were relieved to abort another demolition job by Symonds, who smacked five fours and one six in a run-a-ball innings after tea.But, as happens too often for Symonds, he provided a regulation dismissal just when he seemed to be scoring with ease, edging Don Nash to Michael Clarke at second slip.Lee Carseldine (17 not out) then joined Brendan Nash for the one-hour journey to stumps, with Nash knuckling down in the final overs.He has been a fringe player for the Bulls since rejecting an approach from the West Indies two years ago, when fast bowling great Courtney Walsh asked him to consider a switch.”Queensland had given me an opportunity and I wanted to take that with both hands,” Nash said.The Bulls were grateful today as Nash built on the promise shown when he made 96 in last season’s Pura Cup final win over Tasmania.

At the end of first day of the first Test of the new year, India were 284 for three. It’s a position of some comfort, but India were anything but comfortable on their journey to the total. There was a catch off a no-ball, edges that didn’t carry, run-out chances, and dropped catches; all in all, a day of nerve-wracking cricket.Making the batsmen playBefore the match began, Steve Waugh empathised with the Indians, saying that he wouldn’t have liked facing Brett Lee and Jason Gillespie. The two bowlers lived up to Waugh’s words, picking up the only three wickets that fell today, and always looked close to making another breakthrough. Although Lee was profligate with runs, he showed more control, and made the batsmen play more, than Gillespie. In the morning session, nearly half of all deliveries Lee bowled were let through to the keeper. That changed dramatically after lunch, when he made the batsmen play four out of every five deliveries.

Bowling a line wide of the stumps negated the good length Gillespie pitched on, and the batsmen left nearly 30% of everything he threw at them. But Gillespie ended with the wickets of Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag, which came only when the batsmen were made to play at deliveries for sustained periods of time.Tendulkar’s on-side playIndia had lost two quick wickets when Sachin Tendulkar came out to bat. His own form wasn’t too reassuring, either. So far, Australia had worked to a plan; as long as they kept things tight, packing the off side with fielders, he would find ways to get himself out. But the Tendulkar who batted today was more resilient. Though he was troubled by Stuart MacGill, he played himself in, and didn’t try too hard to score runs on the off side. Instead, he took advantage of the 7-2 field, and scored a large number of his runs on the leg side, even though two-thirds off all the deliveries he faced were outside off stump.

The recall of Brendon McCullum to the New Zealand side has opened the way for promising former Central Districts wicket-keeper/batsman Peter McGlashan to move south.McGlashan, who made his first-class debut against Otago in the 2000/01 season, has indicated a desire to move to Dunedin to play club cricket and make himself available for representative honours.McCullum’s elevation has sped McGlashan’s progress and he will make his State Otago Volts appearance in Saturday’s State Shield opener against Wellington at Molyneux Park in Alexandra.Otago’s wicket-keeper in recent times, Martyn Croy, wasn’t available for selection before Christmas because of work commitments with the New Zealand Academy of Sport South Island and hasn’t yet played any club cricket this summer.McGlashan has played five first-class matches but has slipped down the Central Districts’ pecking order behind Bevan Griggs, Martin Sigley and last year’s New Zealand Under-19 gloveman Ian Sandbrook.