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Long-time advocate of greater use of technology in umpiring decisions, New Zealand Cricket’s umpiring manager Brian Aldridge was delighted with the success of experimentation at the ICC Champions Trophy tournament.Aldridge said the experiment in Colombo had been on a largely “suck it and see” basis but it had proven worthwhile, and the concern that too much time would be consumed in referring to the third umpire had been groundless as no decision took more than a minute.”The two facets of the leg before wicket assistance, based on where the ball pitched, and what it hit, were great, but it was obvious the technology is not good enough yet for some caught behinds or doubtful catches,” he said.Apart from showing how much more refinement is needed in capturing those aspects on video, it also proved just how hard it had been for umpires to make decisions in the past.”It is great to have it. I do hope the International Cricket Council keep experimenting,” he said.Aldridge said the experimentation in Colombo had arisen from technology companies getting interested in what were technical aspects of the game, and he hoped more interest might stir the same, or other, companies to look at less clear areas of filming.He said there was still a concern about whether players still wanted to have the traditions of the game maintained.If that was the case then there would have to be a greater acceptance from players and portions of the media that umpires were capable of making mistakes.But at the same time if the players opted for decisions as correct as possible through use of technology then there was the prospect that even elite panels would still ask for confirmation in decision-making.

Lance Klusener’s poor form with the bat may have continued, but the all-rounder starred with the ball to ensure that South Africa A completed a convincing 65-run victory against the touring Sri Lankans at Potchestroom on Saturday.Klusener, retained in South Africa’s one-day squad for the first two games of a five-match series starting Wednesday at Wanderers, lasted just four balls in the morning before dragging a ball on to his stumps, but then redeemed himself by grabbing three middle-order wickets.The all-rounder completed a fightback started by left-arm spinner Robin Peterson, who made a 69-ball 61 that helped South Africa A recover from a parlous position in the morning when they had crashed to 124 for eight.Peterson added 57 with Charl Langeveldt (33*) and then 40 with last man Monde Zondeki (23), guiding South A to a respectable 221.Darryl Cullinan missed his opportunity to persuade the selectors that he is ready for an international recall when he swung wildly at Pulasthi Gunaratne’s second ball of the day and was caught at mid-on.Earlier, Sri Lanka had been boosted by the news that Sanath Jayasuriya hadrecovered from the ankle injury that had forced him out of the second Test atCenturion.In the event the left-hander failed with the bat as he was trapped lbw by Steve Elworthy, who went on to claim the wickets of Jehan Mubarak (17) and Kumar Sangakkara (21), finishing with three for 34 from seven overs.Sri Lanka’s middle order failed too, including veteran Aravinda de Silva wholingered 44 minutes at the crease for just seven runs in his first outing sincearriving in South Africa on Monday.Cape Province pace bowler Zondeki celebrated his surprise call-up into SouthAfrica’s 14-man squad for the first two one-day internationals with a fieryseven-over burst in which he claimed the crucial wicket of Mahela Jayawardene and conceded just eight runs.The visitors were eventually restricted to 111 for eight after 32 overs inan innings twice interrupted by rain.

A place in the quarter-finals of the 38 County Cup competition awaits Lincolnshire if they beat Leicestershire County Board XI at Cleethorpes on Sunday.But the county team will be without captain Mark Fell, who has been at the bedside of his two week old son after it was found that the baby needed an urgent operation.Instead, vice-captain James Clarke will be leading the Lincs team which includes Cleethorpes’ Simon Webb, who replaces Fell, and sees the return of Simon Oakes who missed the recent three day game against Bucks. Webb’s team mate Jonathan Davies, now back in action after injury, is rested for this game in preparation for the next three day match, against Northumberland in mid-July.The match, which is 50 overs per side, begins at 11am and spectators are welcome at the Chichester Road ground.

Lincolnshire squad:J HarrisonR HowittM DobsonJ TrowerJ Clarke (capt)S WebbO Burford (w/k)R ChapmanD ChristmasD PipesS Oakes12th man:  J Davies

Somerset go into their penultimate championship match against Leicestershire at Grace Road on Thursday knowing that nothing less than a victory will save them from relegation to the second division.The Cidermen are currently in eighth position in the top flight in the four day game whilst their opponents are sixth , just above the danger zone, with four wins to their credit.In addition to victory at Grace Road, Somerset also have to achieve a result from their final match against Lancashire at Taunton next Wednesday, a tall order for a side who have only achieved one victory from their previous fourteen championship matches.When the sides met earlier this season Somerset were in a strong position, and will feel that they missed out on a victory when rain deprived them of the last day’s play.Over the years Leicester has not been a particularly happy hunting ground for Somerset. Last season the match was drawn and in 2000 it was the hosts who recorded a victory.Despite the daunting prospect ahead of them there was an air of confidence about the Somerset team before they left the County Ground early on Wednesday morning ahead of their NUL day/night game.Coach Kevin Shine was in no doubt about the importance of the championship match and told me: "This is a must win game for us, nothing else will do for us if we are to stay up."The coach has named the following squad for the championship game: Jamie Cox, Peter Bowler, Matt Wood, Mike Burns, Piran Holloway, Keith Parsons, Pete Trego, Rob Turner, Keith Dutch, Richard Johnson, Matt Bulbeck and Simon Francis.Meanwhile the Somerset coach has confirmed that paceman Steffan Jones who has been carrying an injury for much of the season is to undergo an operation on his foot in the next few days which will rule him out for the rest of the season.

A mini-Women’s World Cup will be played in New Zealand next summer.CricInfo Women’s World Cup champions New Zealand, will host runners-up Australia, India and England in a 14-game series at Lincoln University starting on January 26.The final is to be played on February 8. There will be a play-off for third and fourth on February 7.England had earlier said it wouldn’t take part in a four-way tournament but has changed its mind and will come to New Zealand at the end of its series with Australia.An added benefit for New Zealand will be that it’s A team will play a warm-up match with each of the teams before the tournament.New Zealand Cricket (NZC) operations manager John Reid said today: “I think this will be a fiercely-contested tournament and I have no doubt we will see some really outstanding women’s cricket.”We are delighted to be hosting a tournament that will see four of the top sides in women’s international cricket competing against one another.”The last time the four teams played together was in New Zealand at the World Cup in December 2000 when the TestraClear White Ferns beat the Indians in the semi-finals before claiming an historic win against the Australians in the final.”Normally New Zealand and Australia would be competing for the Rosebowl but discussions are underway to incorporate that series into the tournament.The draw for the tournament has not yet been finalised but it is intended that each team will play each other twice.NZC assistant operations manager Catherine Campbell said the tournament was part of a increasing schedule now being developed for women’s cricket.And the High Performance Centre at Lincoln was the ideal venue for the event.”We’ve got the venue advantage to stage a tournament like this, we can host all the teams out there and the sides can stay there.”The wickets and grounds are good for women’s cricket.”We have had a diet of always playing Australia, and while that has been good for both teams it has become rather repetitive for the public. It still raises issues about not taking women’s cricket around the country, but against that it makes it easier for prospective television coverage,” she said.

Sourav Ganguly’s latest consignment of bats arrived from Meerut just after the Indian captain finished his stint out in the ‘open nets’ at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore. A man in love with cricket bats, Ganguly chooses a fresh batch of blades before each tour. The six-week tour to Zimbabwe is no exception. The open nets itself had an atmosphere of great purpose without being overbearing or sombre. John Wright, behind the bowler’s arm watched over every ball as the probables slogged away.The idea is a simple one and not new at all. A simulated match situation out in the middle, with the fast bowlers and spinners operating in turns ensued. The first to enter were Ganguly and VVS Laxman, while the other batsmen waited their turns. In time all batsmen had a stint out in the middle and the bowlers were a tired lot. Perhaps that’s what prompted the local boys to chip in and help with preparations. Anil Kumble was in for a quick session but left early. Sunil Joshi, Venkatesh Prasad and Dodda Ganesh spent a lot of time bowling despite not being in the list of probables selected by the board.In the coaching department, Wright was not alone. Roger Binny moved across from the National Cricket Academy (NCA) and helped the Kiwi conduct the practice sessions. Erapalli Prasanna finished his stint with the NCA boys and he too cast his watchful eye over the Indian seniors for a while. The atmosphere at the camp was as healthy as one could expect. All drills happened in right earnest with no one being exempted for any reason. When not out in the middle, the players were by the sidelines practicing throwing.At first it seemed strange that the players should be spending so much time practicing throwing. Closer inspection however, made it clear that this was yet another of Wright’s moves. Showing a keen attention to detail, Wright is attempting to make sure that all Indian cricketers throw with the right action. Concentrating on position and shift in body weight, Wright is attempting to minimise the shoulder injuries that have laid low more than one Indian bowler in the recent past.With team selection due soon, the selectors have all gathered in Bangalore. And seldom has their job been easier. Although the likes of Yuvraj Singh, Virender Shewag and Ajay Ratra are shaping up well, it is difficult to see them making the trip to Zimbabwe. Five seamers, two spinners, seven batsmen and one stumper seems to be the mantra.

The greatest tragedy of Nathan Astle’s world record innings at Jade Stadium on Saturday was that it was watched by so few Cantabrians.Very few cricket enthusiasts in the once strong bastion of New Zealand cricket, Christchurch, will be able to say in the future, “I was there”.Attendances at the pride of Canterbury sport were little short of a disgrace throughout the Test and it can only be wondered what the ground would have looked like had it not been swamped with English supporters.Whatever the situation, Christchurch must surely have written itself off the Test match scheduling list after this was yet another demonstration of its inability to draw crowds to the South Island’s main Test venue at Jade Stadium.And the portable pitch has nothing whatsoever to do with it.It is all to do with the inability of Cantabrians to get out and support their venue.The decline in numbers has been obvious in recent years and with the ground taking on an increased appearance of a concrete jungle with the new West Stand nearing completion, the vast empty spaces, as seen in the television coverage of Astle’s innings are little short of embarrassing.Given the way the New Zealand Test team performed in Australia, there was every reason to expect some interest to be aroused among the cricket supporting fraternity.However, even the One-Day International staged in Christchurch failed to attract the expected level of interest.Given Christchurch’s standing in the cricket scheme of things this has to be a worrying trend.The likelihood always was that it would miss out on a Test next summer because a series, possibly of only two Tests against India, will be the only fare available as the World Cup is being staged in South Africa in February-March.One of those Tests is certain to be a Boxing Day match at the Basin Reserve and the other will be in the north of the North Island.Given Auckland’s similar propensity for failing to support Test matches, the most likely candidate would have to be Hamilton.But the real test will be the following summer 2003/04 when Pakistan and South Africa are due to tour. And at the moment Cantabrians have done nothing to boost their chances.

Somerset Under 11’s were victorious in their recent 45 over match against Wales Under 11’s at Croesyceiliog CC.Somerset won the toss and put their hosts into bat first.Wales were dismissed for 84 in 38 overs thanks to some tight bowling by the visitors.Will Carpenter was the pick of the Somerset attack, ending with the impressive figures of 10 overs, 1 maiden, 3 wickets for 15 runs.When Somerset batted they Jamie Howson was in good form, scoring an unbeaten 47 as the visitors reached the required total for the loss of 4 wickets in just 25.5 overs

Free State regained the initiative against Easterns on the third day of their encounter, although the game remained in the balance with one day left.By the close, Free State, chasing a challenging 339 for victory, had moved to 116 for one, with Gerhardus Liebenberg, unbeaten on 59, and Louis Wilkinson, on 30, having added an unbroken 50 for the second wicket.Liebenberg, who has matched the achievement of Mike Rindel in making two half-centuries in the match, had put on 66 for the first wicket with Andrew Gait (24) as the visitors to Willowmoore Park set out in pursuit of their target in positive fashion.Earlier, Easterns had gone well beyond their first innings total of 224 when Derek Crookes and nightwatchman Andre Nel had extended their fifth-wicket partnership to 115. Nel contributed 44 and Crookes, who has played a major role with the bat in getting Easterns into the Super Eight phase, fell just five short of a deserved century.There was more drama to come, when Dewald Pretorius found himself on a hat-trick after taking two wickets in consecutive balls with the Easterns total on 309. Last man in Jody Williams survived the hat-trick ball, but Easterns’s second knock still ended on 309, an overall lead of 338.Pretorius and Victor Mpitsang each grabbed three scalps, while offspinner Kosie Venter and occasional left-arm spinner Van Wyk took two wickets each, Van Wyk’s 2-25 including the scalp of Crookes, who he bowled.

Hampshire opening Norwich Union National League match away to Lancashire on Sunday (29 April) has fallen foul to the weather.Heavy rain over Old Trafford that has curtailed their CricInfo Championship match against Surrey, has continued, with heavy thunderstorms plaguing the area.The umpires met with officials and Lancashire captain John Crawley, and decided that it would be futile Hampshire travelling.Hampshire will attempt to get some outside practice at their Rose Bowl ground over the weekend, before travelling to Canterbury for their opening Benson & Hedges Cup match on Tuesday (1 May).