World Round-Up - A feast of Test Cricket in 2000-01

This is a unique on-going season - eight Test playing nations involved together in four Test Cricket series being held around the world. Out of these four contests, two Test Series have already ended. In Sri Lanka, England have achieved their fourth successive series win and bested the home team by 2-1. On the mainland, India stunned the World by winning one of the most fascinating series victory in Test Cricket history, unexpectdly but emphatically ending Australia's world record run of sixteen consecutive Test wins. In New Zealand, Pakistan being one-up in the series have ensured safety against a series defeat and play the third and final test at Hamilton from 27th March 2001. Finally, in the West Indies, the South Africans, having earned a pulsating victory over the much-improved Carl Hooper led home team at Port Spain, go one-up into the third of the five Test series, starting at Bridgetown on 29 March 2001. Lots of Test cricket yet to come.

Below is a brief resume of the current Test series concluded and in progress around the World.

England in Sri Lanka - Feb 22 to Mar 19, 2001
Sri Lanka won the First Test at Galle by an innings and 28 runs. Man of the Match, Marvan Atapattu's knock of 201 and old campaigner Arvinda Desilva's 106 the main components in Sri Lanka's match winning score of 470 for 5 declared. In spite of ME Trescothick's century (122) in the first and 57 in the second innings, Vaas, Muralitharan and skipper Jayasuriya succeeded in dismissing England for the relatively low totals of 253 and 189 after following-on. Muralitharan claimed 7 wickets in the match.

However, England came back strongly in the series by winning the Second Test at Kandy by three wickets. Jayawardene scored 101 and Arnold 65, enabling Sri Lanka reach 297 in the first innings. Man of the Match Darren Gough claimed 4/73 and AR Caddick 4/55. Naseer Hussain played a captain's innings (109) ably supported by GP Thorpe (59) and AJ Stewart (54), to give England a substantial 90 runs first innings lead. Sangakkara (95) and Dharmasena (54) were the main contributors in Sri Lanka's second innings score of 250 with D Gough claiming 4/50. Sri Lanka fought well, not allowing England an easy time and had claimed 7 wickets before victory was achieved. G Thorpe scored 46. Chaminda Vaas was Sri Lanka's most successful bowler with 4 for 39.

The third and final Test at Colombo was even more exciting and closely fought. Man of the Match GP Thorpe's 113 coupled with AF Giles (4/11) and D Gough's (3/23) brought Sri Lanka's downfall in the Test. Sri Lanka managed 241 & only 89 while England's 249 & 74 for 6 gained them a win by 4 wickets and the series 2-1.

Australia in India - Feb 27 to Mar 22, 2001
At the outset, in the series opener at Mumbai, India scored 176 (Tendulkar 76) and 219 (Tendulkar 65) in the two innings. Australia made 349 (M Hayden 119 & Adam Gilchrist 122) & 47-0, to win the test comfortably by 10 wickets. This victory was widely hailed 'as expected' by the cricket pundits but India had different plans.

After conceding defeat in the first test by 10 wickets, In the second, the Indians staged a remarkable comeback in the 3-match series. They pulled off one of the most sensational victory in Test cricket after being forced to follow on, 274 runs behind, at Calcutta. In the process, VVS Laxman (281) became India's highest individual innings scorer in Test cricket and 20 year old off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, India's new bowling hero, claimed 13 wickets. Australia 445 (Steve Waugh 110, ML Hayden 97). India 171 & 657/7 (VVS Laxman 281 and RS Dravid 180). What a victory by 171 runs!

The third and final Test at Chennai was even more absorbing. Australia rattled up 391 (ML Hayden 203, ME Waugh 70 - Harbhajan Singh 7/133). India replied with 501 (SR Tendulkar 126, SS Das 84, RS Dravid 81, VVS Laxman 65). Conceding a lead of 101, Australia scored 264 in the second innigs. Mark and Steve Waugh scoring 57 and 47 runs respectively. Harbhajan Singh improving his first innings performance by claiming 8 for 84. At 101 for 2, mid way through the post lunch session on the final day, India appeared well set for an easy win but overcoming the nerve wracking tension, Australia bravely fought back and India collapsed to 151 for 8. Thanks to debutante wicket-keeper Sameer Dighe who kept his cool, steering India to a dramatic 2 wicket win. ML Hayden and Harbhajan Singh were jointly adjudged as Men of the Match with the latter as Man of the Series.

Pakistan in New Zealand - Mar 8 to Mar 19, 2001
At Auckland, all the home team's hopes of saving the match evaporated soon after they began the fifth and final day at 105 for 1. The Black Caps were bundled out, 9 wickets falling for only 26 runs, thus losing the first Test by a massive margin of 299 runs. Paceman and new cap, Mohammad Sami 5/36 and Saqlain Mushtaq 4/24 were the wreckers-in-chief. Earlier Pakistan scored 346 (Younis Khan 91, Yousuf Youhana 51 - DR Tuffey 4/96 and CS Martin 4/106) & 336 for 5 declared (Younis Khan 149 not out, Imran Farhat 63, Faisal Iqbal 52 - DR Tuffey 3/43). New Zealand 252 (SP Fleming 86, CD McMillan 54 - Saqlain Mushtaq 4/48 and Mohammad Sami 3/70).

In the Second Test at Christchurch, New Zealand scored 476. MS Sinclair became the first New Zealander to score a double ton (204 not out) against Pakistan, Waqar Younis, Fazl-e-Akbar and Saqlain Mushtaq claimed three wickets each. Pakistan replied with 571 for 8 declared. Yousuf Youhana scored the sixth double century (203) against New Zealand for Pakistan, Inzamam-ul-Haq scored 130 and Saqlain Mushtaq scored his maiden century (101 not out). Later, the match petered out to a tame draw. New Zealand was 196 for 1 in the second innings when play was called off.

South Africa in the West Indies - Mar 9 to Mar 21, 2001
The two Test matches played so far in the current series have been closely fought and competitive. South Africa won the Second Test at Port of Spain, by 69 runs when the odds were in favour of the home team and the tourists had conceded a 56 run first innings lead. The West Indies defeat must be attributed to their batting collapse in the second innings.

Batting first, South Africa scored 286 with DJ Cullinan hitting 103. West Indies replied with 342 (RD Jacobs 83 not out, WW Hinds 56 and Carl Hooper 53 - AA Donald 4/91 and SM Pollock 3/55). South Africa made 287 in their second knock. Herschelle Gibbs scored 87 and DJ Cullinan 73. CA Walsh claimed 6/61 to become the World's First bowler to cross the 500 wickets milestone. The West Indian second innings total fell 69 runs short of the target of 231 runs and JH Kallis claimed 4/40. DJ Cullinan was declared Man of the Match.

Earlier, in the first Test at Georgetown, West Indies batted first and reached 304 with CH Gayle hitting 81. South Africa replied with 332 and G Kirsten made the 12th test century of his career (150). West Indies in their second innings, scored 357 for 7 declared. (RR Sarwan 91, MN Samuels 51 and Brian Lara 45). South Africa was 142 for 2 (Herschelle Gibbs 83 not out) when the Test Match ended in a draw.