The might of the Indian batting was on display against the nervous CFX Academy XI, who were having their first big match. After a reasonably good opening stand of 86 between SS Das and S Ramesh, the former along with VVS Laxman put on 162 runs. Both Das (110) and Laxman (100) were forced to retire out after they had completed their hundreds in order to allow the rest of the team a bat leading up to the first Test. At close the visitors had made 370-3 with left-handers Hemang Badani (69 not out) and skipper Sourav Ganguly (26 not out) at the crease.

For the first time two Indian batsmen (Das and Laxman) were forced to "retire out", so as to give batting opportunities to the rest of the batsmen. The 1947 MCC code vide Law 2.9 made it clear for the first time that an innings thus deliberately ended can never be resumed later and must be considered as 'out' for the purposes of compiling averages. The first such instance is believed to have occurred when South African Tony Pithey was forced to retire having made 170 against Tasmania at Launceston in 1963-64 in order to give others a chance to bat. Australian Greg Chappell is perhaps the only batsman to have recorded "retired outs" on two separate occasions in 1976-77 (in New Zealand) and 1980 (in England) in his first-class career.

Meanwhile, the centuries by Shiv Sunder Das (110) and VVS Laxman (100) against the CFX Academy at Harare's Country Club were the fifth and sixth first-class hundreds scored by Indian batsmen on Zimbabwean soil. The others to do so are: Sanjay Manjrekar (104) for India against Zimbabwe at Harare in October 1992; Anil Kumble (100 not out) for the Indians against ZCU President's XI at Harare (Sunrise Club) in October 1998; Rahul Dravid (118) for India against Zimbabwe at Harare in October 1998; and Dravid (137) once again in the opening match of the tour at Mutare. Incidentally it was Das' 13th first-class hundred in his 64th match and his first on foreign soil. Laxman meanwhile recorded his 29th first-class hundred in 94 matches. For the record, Laxman now has more hundreds than fifties (28) in his first-class career.

In form batsman Rahul Dravid has suffered a finger injury on his right hand during a practice session at Harare. However the team management has confirmed that the injury was not serious and Dravid will be fit to play in the first Test at Bulawayo starting this week.

Zimbabwe batsman Andy Flower believes that his team can win the series against India. Zimbabwe had won by 61 runs the last Test match played between the two countries in Zimbabwe in 1998.

Despite a record partnership of 267 runs between Michael Vaughan (120) and Graham Thorpe (138) for the third wicket at Manchester, Pakistan took a first innings lead of 46 runs. England at one stage 282-2 collapsed to 357 runs. At close on the third day, Pakistan were 87 for three.

Meanwhile Pakistani pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar was discharged from the hospital after being admitted due to some illness. The manager of the team Yawar Saeed confirmed that the bowler is fit and is getting ready for the forthcoming tri-nation one-day series, which begins on June 7.

New Zealand's match referee Brian Hastings has warned the England and Pakistan's players saying that their behaviour on the field was "not acceptable". He was referring to the incident between England's Andrew Caddick and Pakistanis Rashid Latif and Azhar Mahmood during the third day's play in the second Test at Manchester, However, Hastings confirmed that he would not be taking any further action against these players.

Australian batsmen once again displayed their batting form when they reached 236-4 from just 44 overs at close on the second day against Worcestershire. Earlier the home team was dismissed for 163, thus giving the Aussies an overall lead of 424 runs.

The BCCI has formally signed the biggest sponsorship deal for the national cricket team, now touring Zimbabwe, with Sahara India. The deal is believed to be worth nearly Rs 100 crores (US$ 21 million) for the next three years, is the biggest ever in the history of the game.

It seems the sacking of West Indian team manager team manager Ricky Skerritt has not gone well with the members of the West Indies Cricket Board. Skerritt's three-year contract was terminated early last week by the Board president Pat Rousseau and his deputy Clarvis Joseph. However their decision was against the WICB rules, which state there must be full agreement among the board's executive committee when such decisions are made. Two members of the five-member panel have come out in the open that they were not happy with Skerritt's removal. Chetram Singh, the president of the Guyana Cricket Board, and Trinidad and Tobago's Richard DeSouza have confirmed that they do not agree with the WICB's decision. These statements have put Rousseau's position as president in peril.

Meanwhile, in a recent development, the WICB's president since 1996, Pat Rousseau and his deputy Clarvis Joseph have tendered their resignations after their decision to dismiss national team manager Ricky Skerritt, was overruled by other members of the Board.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has agreed to allow the interim committee, appointed by the Sri Lankan government to run the affairs of the Cricket Board, to represent the country in the forthcoming annual ICC meeting in London this July. This decision puts fears to rest that Sri Lanka may be debarred by the ICC when the previous Board led by Thilanga Sumathipala, was dissolved by the country's sports minister.

All-rounder Tilan Samaraweera will lead the Sri Lanka A against the Pakistan A team which will visit Sri Lanka next week to play in a three-Test unofficial series. Samaraweera, has represented his country in eight one-day internationals since 1998, although he has not appeared in any Tests as yet.