India in South Africa

South Africa captured the remaining two Indian wickets without much of a fuss early on the third morning, leaving them a healthy 161 run lead on the first innings.
A seemingly fired up Indian bowling attack had the hosts in a spot of bother soon after at 26-3, but once Srinath and Agarkar had bowled their initial spells the fire died out of the Indian bowling and the South Africans began to breathe easy.
Kallis took 201 balls to make a steady 84 that prevented a collapse in the middle order when Srinath was bowling with fire and rhythm.
When stumps were called on a murky 3rd day at Port Elizabeth South Africa were 211-5, a good 362 runs ahead, leaving the Indians to pray for rain or a miracle to save them from yet another depressing defeat.

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The South African skipper Shaun Pollock refused to divulge what target he had in mind for the Indians on the fourth day. He only said he would like to have a total that the team were comfortable about and one that would give enough time to get 10 Indian wickets in the second innings. Pollock downplayed his efforts with the ball in the Test series saying if he had not got the wickets some one else would have. The South African skipper was also generous in his praise of the old Indian warhorse Javagal Srinath.

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The South African Television, producing and covering Test series between India and South Africa, have made available to the match referee, England's Mike Denness, a certain footage that shows Sachin Tendulkar's bowling on the morning of the third day to investigate if he had made any attempt to tamper with the ball.

The referee declined to comment anything on the matter. Neither the umpires nor the South African team have made any official complaint to the match referee.

England in India

A Mumbai Cricket Association XI gave the visiting Englishmen a taste of what is to come when they piled up 373-5 by stumps on the first day of the two-day warm up fixture.
English bowlers toiled after skipper Nasser Hussain had won the toss and put the home side in.
Test discards Vinod Kambli (109) and Wasim Jaffer (99) piled on the runs after the first wicket partnership of Mane and Jaffer had added a hundred runs.
James Ormond was the most expensive of the bowlers, conceding 75 runs off his 15 overs having switched from seam to off-spin in an attempt to stem the flow of runs.

Zimbabwe in Bangladesh

Opening batsman Javed Omar held the home sides second innings together with a painstaking 80 of 320 balls as Bangladesh pulled through the day to end at 227-4 still needing 64 runs to make Zimbabwe bat again.
He was helped by steady partnerships with Al Sharaiar Rokon (40) and Habibul Bashar (76). For the tourists Grant Flower claimed 3 wickets.
Zimbabwe need to take 6 wickets with today being the last day to give them a much-needed victory and a boost to their confidence after a string of recent defeats.

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Leg spinner Paul Strang has flown into Bangladesh a replacement for their injured skipper Brian Murphy.
The skipper returned home after sustaining a hairline fracture on his wrist during the first Test at Dhaka.
Strang will take his place in the three match ODI series that begins on 23 November.

Zimbabwe in Bangladesh

Sri Lanka have decided to recall leg-spinner Upul Chandana into the team in place of Ruchira Perera for the second Test beginning at Kandy on 21 November. Sri Lanka are to go into the Kandy Test with a spin based attack and hence the change.
The full team is:
Sanath Jayasuriya (capt), Marvan Atapattu, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Russel Arnold, Hashan Tillakaratne, Thilan Samaraweera, Chaminda Vaas, Niroshan Bandaratillake, Muttiah Muralithathan, Charitha Buddika Fernando, Nuwan Zoysa, Michael Vandort, Upul Chandana

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The Sri Lankan government today surprised one and all by making an announcement that no sporting events would be held in the country on full moon days and Buddhist holidays.
Desperate cricket officials said the official intimation regarding this had not come to them as yet but were worried as the third Test against the West Indies was scheduled to be played on November 30, a full moon day.
A Test match against Zimbabwe in December is also likely to clash with a full moon.
Cricket officials were worried as already dates of these tours had to be altered to adjust with the dates of the country's general election and this would mean more changes.
On every full moon day in Sri Lanka, offices are closed, butchers do not sell meat and bars do not serve alcohol.
The government's sudden decision is seen by many as a move to appease the country's influential Buddhist community ahead of the parliamentary elections on December 5th.

Miscellaneous

Pakistani opener Saeed Anawar has launched a fund for the war victims of Afghanistan. Anwar who has become a devout Muslim since the death of his three year old daughter said he would, with the help of many of his team mates be launching a door to door campaign to raise money.
He denied that his efforts had nothing to do with politics and said he could feel the pain the Afghans are going through and just wanted to contribute. The team will go to different Pakistani cities and approach industrialists and other wealthy people for funds, he said.

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The England and Wales Cricket Board will be scrutinizing the action of its fast bowler James Kirtley at Lord's today.
Kirtley was reported to the International Cricket Council (ICC) by match referee Colonel Nausahad Ali on his first tour with the international side during the limited overs series in Zimbabwe last month.
The ECB's review committee will be chaired by former Essex off-spinner David Acfield.
They will review video footage of his action on the tour and hear evidence from biomechanics experts before compiling the report that needs to be submitted to the ICC by the week end.

SCORES AT A GLANCE

South Africa vs India (2nd Test, day 3)
Played at Port Elizabeth
Toss: India

South Africa:
362 (H Gibbs 196, H Dippenaar 29, M Boucher 68 not out; J Srinath 6-76)
211-5 (Kallis 84 not out, S Pollock 38 not out; J Srinath 2-19)
India:
201 (S Ganguly 42, VVS Laxman 89, A Kumble 28; S Pollock 5-40)

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Zimbabwe vs Bangladesh (2nd Test, day 4)
Played at Chittagong
Toss: Bangladesh

Zimbabwe:
279-4 (DD Ebrahim 41, T Gripper 112, G Flower 33, A Flower 114 not out, C Wishart 114, D Marillier 52; Murtaza 2-101)
Bangladesh:
251 (Al Shariar 29, H Bashar 108, Ashraful 33; G Flower 4-43)
227-4 (Following on) (Javed Omar 80, Shariar Rokon 40, Habibul Bashar 76; G Flower 3-37)

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