Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
5th day
Bulletin – Kallis leads South African resistance4th day
Bulletin – Smith dismissal rocks South Africa
The Big Picture – Boje falls to spark celebrations
3rd day
Bulletin – South Africa in deep trouble
The Big Picture – Celebrating in style2nd day
Bulletin – Chanderpaul grinds South Africa down
News – WIPA claims players received death threats
The Big Picture – Double celebration
1st day
Bulletin – Hinds and Chanderpaul power West Indies
The Big Picture – Devon Smith falls
News – Cable & Wireless retract their claims
Preview
News – Chanderpaul upbeat about new role
News – West Indies manager talks up team
News – Gayle and Sarwan terminate Cable & Wireless contracts
Commentary – Vaneisa Baksh on the need to start afresh

In 2001, Steve Waugh took his Ashes squad on a detour to Gallipoli, where they made an emotional pilgrimage to the place where 9000 Anzac soldiers died in an ill-fated First World War campaign. This year, Ricky Ponting’s men will stop off in Northern France to visit the battlefields of the Western Front.Although Gallipoli is synonymous with the Australian contribution to the First World War, there were four times as many men killed in France and Belgium. According to a report in The Daily Telegraph, the Australian squad will be based in Lille, from where they will visit the Australian Memorial Park at Fromelles and the town of Villers-Bretonneux, where Australian troops halted the German spring offensive in 1918.”People say we’re heroes and put us on a bit of a pedestal,” said Waugh during the 2001 trip to Gallipoli, “but realistically there are so many people who deserve more accolades than us. The soldiers who fought here are the heroes. We just go out and play sport and we’re good at it.”

Scorecard
Kenya progressed to the next stage of the Intercontinental Cup after claiming enough bonus points on the final day at Windhoek to edge out Namibia. Five second innings wickets for Kenya gave them an extra 2.5 points, the eventual margin between them and Namibia.Kenya declared on 282 for 9 in their second innings, setting Namibia a notional target of 248. However, they managed to grab five wickets in the closing stages of the match, and following their productive second knock, that was enough to see them through.The Kenyan’s second innings was built around a solid 72 from Martin Suji, to follow up a half-century from Kennedy Otieno. Those contributions allowed Kenya to recover from the early loss of Steve Tikolo, who was dismissed without adding to his overnight score.Suji received impressive support from Peter Ongondo, who contributed 26 to a ninth-wicket stand of 62. All the Namibia attack chipped in, with Deon Kotze, the captain, taking 2 for 46.There was just enough time remaining for Kenya to take five wickets, taking their bonus point total for the game to 17, against Namibia’s 15.

2nd day
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsKwaZulu-Natal completely outplayed Easterns at Willowmoore Park, nearlywinning inside two days. Was it not for an excellent 136, out of a total of 230 from Pierre de Bruin, Easterns would have been humiliated in their own backyard. In front of a total of seven spectators, maybe because the main public entrance was locked throughout the whole day, de Bruin’s lonely hand took the Natal attack by the scruff of the neck and pasted the ball to all parts of the ground. Seven towering sixes had outfielders craning their necks as they tracked the ball. Earlier Rivash Gobind, the Natal captain, had scored his debut first-class hundred, allowing Natal to declare at 300 for 7 after 85 overs when the bonus points stopped. Shiraaz Abrahams picked up three late wickets to make an impressive debut into first-class cricket. Natal need a further 63 runs when play resumes on day three.2nd day
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsCareer-best figures of 6-90 from Gerhard de Bruin helped Gauteng beat Northerns, who made a valiant attempt at saving the game at Wanderers. Being bowled out for 147, a deficit of 212 runs in the first innings was their undoing, but fifties from Kruger van Wyk, Nic van Woerkom, Gerald Dros and James Mokonyama nearly saw them attain the impossible. However, it was de Bruin who wrapped up the tail, leaving Gauteng ample time to score the 137 required with William Motaung undefeated at the end on 57.

Belinda Clark, the Australian women’s captain, will become the first woman to head-up cricket’s Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence when she takes over as the manager of the Brisbane facility in September.Clark, 34, will take up the role of CBCE Manager on her return from the Ashes Series in 2005 in England, when she will relocate to Brisbane and make a decision on her playing future. Clark will replace Trevor Robertson who has served in the role since thelaunch of the new centre in 2003.James Sutherland, the chief executive of the Australian board, said the appointment of Clark was another step forward for cricket’s development system. “We are delighted that Belinda has agreed to take on this challenge and congratulate her on this appointment,” said Sutherland. “Clark has been successful in cricket both on and off the field. She is a natural leader, an extremely competent cricket administrator and we are very fortunate to be able to appoint someone of her calibre to this important role.”Clark welcomed the challenge to lead the Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence and its team of nine staff in Brisbane. “This is a big career step for me but one that presents a number of exciting challenges,” she said. “Australian cricket has had a sound development system in place for some time, but Cricket Australia is always striving to improve and to make sure there is a continual regeneration and development in the game.”Clark will captain the Australian team on its tour of Ireland and England beginning later this month, before returning in September to make a decision on her playing future. “I’m under no illusions about the scope of the role,”she said, “and I intend to weigh up my playing options when I return in September. Taking this role was too good an opportunity to overlook.”

Jason Gillespie is resigned to breaking his spectacular new-ball partnership with Glenn McGrath if Brett Lee is recalled for the first Test on Thursday. Gillespie, who plodded through the one-day series, said he wouldn’t be bothered if Lee opened the bowling at Lord’s.Lee is favoured to return to the side for the first time in 19 months, but he will be in a three-way push for two spots with Gillespie and Michael Kasprowicz in the tour match against Leicestershire starting today. “If Brett is in the Test side he would probably have to open the bowling,” Gillespie said in the . “It wouldn’t bother me. Anyone who can bowl at 95 miles an hour and swings them has a pretty decent weapon.”After regaining his spark with 3 for 44 in the final ODI at The Oval, Gillespie said he hadn’t bowled badly through the two series. “The England players have played well against me, it’s as simple as that,” he said in the . “It’s not as if I’ve been bowling waist-high fullies and ten wides and ten no-balls. Obviously [you feel] a bit down because you’re not taking wickets and you’re going for a couple more runs an over than you like, but I haven’t been as bad as probably some people have thought.”

The impossible dream ended under lights at the Premadasa Stadium last night but the depleted West Indies team that once more refused to succumb to significantly more tried and tested opponents were just two boundaries away from preserving it for one last hurrah tomorrow.In the last qualifying match of the triangular IndianOil Cup that would determine which team meets Sri Lanka in the final, India compiled 262 for four, the highest total of the tournament. It was based on a fourth wicket stand of 165 from 178 balls between Yuvraj Singh, who made 110, and Mohammad Kaif, who ended with 83.West Indies slumped in their chase to 112 for six midway through the 23rd over, then recovered through an impressive stand of 83 between Runako Morton, whose 84 was his highest score for West Indies, and Denesh Ramdin, who unbeaten 74 was likewise. Ramdin and Daren Powell, the last man, arrived at the final over, bowled by Ashish Nehra, the left-arm seamer, with 12 required but they could only raise four singles between them and India won by seven runs to the relief of the Sri Lanka board and the sponsors. A final without India would have been disastrous but they were made to fight all the way to ensure it.For the first 17 overs, the euphoria of West Indies’ previous night’s victory over Sri Lanka was sustained as four of the contemporary game’s finest batsmen were dispatched for 51 runs after India batted in bright, hot sunshine after winning the toss. Virender Sewag (117 ODIs, 3,429 runs), VVS Laxman (84 ODIs, 2,331 runs) and captain Rahul Dravid (254 ODIs, 8,238) were dismissed by conventional means while Sourav Ganguly (273 ODIs, 10,014 runs) retired to seek hospital attention after taking a blow on the right elbow from Powell. Sehwag was bowled off a no-ball then lbw to Deighton Butler. Laxman was caught behind off Powell and Dravid was bowled off his pads by offspinner Omari Banks’ first ball.Such a dominant position gradually, and then rapidly, unraveled as Yuvraj and Kaif, India’s young hopes for the future, took charge with their commanding partnership. It was a repeat of their matchwinning stand of 121 against England in the final of the NatWest Trophy at Lord’s three years ago that has gone into Indian cricket folklore. Yuvraj, 23, tall and commanding, counted a six and 11 fours in 110 off 114 balls – his third ODI hundred – before fatigue and cramp brought his downfall in the 46th over to a limp reverse sweep. Kaif, 24, the slim right-hander, carried through to the end for 83 from 103 balls with six fours. A muscular 28 off 13 balls from Mahedra Dhoni, the wicketkeeper, with two huge leg-side sixes off Narsingh Deonarine’s speculative offspin at the end, further boosted India.Sylvester Joseph, as he did for most of Sri Lanka’s innings in the pervious match, led the team in the absence of Shivnarine Chanderpaul who was down with a viral infection. This time, neither his tactics nor his bowlers could halt the advance of the Indian pair and he clearly erred by using Deonarine during the last few overs, as he did with telling effect against Sri Lanka. Deonarine’s last three overs cost 40 and 89 were plundered from the last 10 overs of the innings, 46 off the last four.Without the steadying guidance of Chanderpaul when they batted, the West Indies adopted such an inappropriate, helter-skelter approach in pursuit of their target that a disheartening end to a challenging, controversial tour seemed inevitable. They were 112 for six in the 24th over when Anil Kumble, India’s legendary legspinner, claimed the bamboozled Ricardo Powell as his third wicket. Earlier, Xavier Marshall was lbw and Joseph caught off a spiralling top-edge from a miscued pull, both to Irfan Pathan, one of India’s three left-arm swingers, Deonarine unsuccessfully tried to clear mid-off in the 13th over and Banks and Dwayne Smith had no answer to Kumble’s mysteries. Smith’s 26 included two clean, massive leg-side sixes in an over from Nehra that brought 17 – but it was only 26. A meek submission might have been anticipated but Morton, as much a born again cricketer as a born again Christian, and Ramdin, who has established himself in the past month as the long-term West Indies wicketkeeper and future captain, kept hopes alive with their partnership of 83 off 93 balls characterised by sensible batting.Morton, his clothing drenched in perspiration and his endurance tested to the limit in the enervating heat and humidity, showed his best form of the tour with an outstanding innings of 84 off 105 balls in the unfamiliar position of opener. It was characterised by assured drives down the ground that brought him most of his six fours and his straight six off Yuvraj’s left-arm spin.As he made his way back to the team room, another 68 were required off 11 overs, the 20-year-old Ramdin was on 32 and only the fast bowlers Tino Best, Butler and Powell remaining. Victory was surely a forlorn hope. Ramdin showed more than once on the tour that no hope is ever forlorn. He so skillfully manipulated the strike, ran between the wickets and smashed the loose delivery to the boundary that he contributed 38 of the 60 added once Morton left to a catch at midwicket.Hope was raised when Ramdin hit two fours off the 48th over from Nehra and it came down to 12 needed off the final over. Ramdin and Powell only managed four and India – not least new coach Greg Chappell – could breathe a sigh of relief. Success is all that concerns the ultra-critical Indian press and public.

Hashan Tillakaratne, the former Sri Lankan Test captain, has claimed to have been humiliated after being suspended from his position as executive director of Cricket Aid pending a disciplinary inquiry.”After sacrificing 18 years of my life for cricket this is the reward I get,” said a furious Tillakaratne while addressing the media. According to a letter sent by Upali Seneviratne, acting Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) chief executive, Tillakaratne left the island without prior permission between June 13-22 and acted in a manner detrimental to the interests of SLC and the Cricket Aid program with regard to his dealings with Paul Sheldon, Surrey’s chief executive, who was responsible for organising a tsunami fund-raising Twenty20 match.Tillakaratne has denied the charges brought against him and accused the interim committee installed by the government of trying to sabotage the Cricket Aid program begun by Thilanga Sumathipala, former SLC president, which was designed to help tsunami-affected families and orphans around the island. He also accused the interim committee of carrying out a witch hunt on certain employees of the SLC, and claimed that he was now the latest victim.The program ground to a virtual standstill after the government accused the previous cricket board administration of financial mismanagement, scaring potential investors and freezing the flow of foreign funds into the program.

As the dust settles on an epic Test series, Andrew Miller looks back at the moments that turned the 2005 Ashes into the greatest sporting contest of the 21st Century

Batting performance of the series
Kevin Pietersen’s blistering denouement will linger long in the memory, but by that stage of the series, the dream was there to be grasped. It took instead a similar feat of inspiration on the upward journey to set up England’s shot of glory. Freddie Flintoff’s devastating, last-ditch 73 at Edgbaston was the moment the series was transformed, as he and Simon Jones added 51 for the final wicket to revive an Ashes challenge that was sinking back to its knees.Bowling performance of the series
Warne at Edgbaston, Warne at Trent Bridge, in fact, Warne throughout the summer. His contributions were the single greatest reason why this series will echo through the ages. Without his 40 wickets (not to mention his 249 runs), Australia would have been rolled over after Edgbaston, quite possibly by the sort of margin that the Aussies themselves had envisaged. Instead, they came within an ace of plucking both defeats out of the fire, and could even have squared the series if they’d held their catches at The Oval. How the side will fare in Warne’s absence doesn’t bear thinking about.Shot of the series
“Helloooo … Massive!” Mark Nicholas had no doubt about this one. Flintoff’s humongous heave into the TV gantries at Edgbaston, with the entire Australian team set back for the shot, could one day rival Ian Botham’s swat off the eyebrows at Old Trafford in 1981 as the most replayed six in history. But for sheer pain relief, Matthew Hoggard’s extraordinary cover-drive off Brett Lee, with eight needed for victory at Trent Bridge, was an improbable second-place.Ball of the series
Two. For sheer significance, Harmison’s branding of the Australian captain on the first morning at Lord’s. The message was clear – England would not be cowed, in spite of the mixed messages they transmitted for the remainder of the Test. But for sheer eye-popping magnificence, Warne’s ripper to Strauss at Edgbaston brooks no argument. With five balls of the day remaining, the seam gripped the rough like a tank track and rumbled into the stumps, leaving England in no doubt as to the contest that lay ahead.Catch of the series
This is case of style versus significance. The photographers’ vote goes unequivocally to Andrew Strauss, whose horizontal extraction of Adam Gilchrist at Trent Bridge was not only a seminal moment, but a collector’s item that Mark Waugh would have been proud to pull off. But, in a summer when Geraint Jones turned every edge into a heart-in-the-mouth moment, he chose the perfect moment at Edgbaston to get everything right, by completing the catch that changed a world order.Drop of the series
For the entire time that England’s Ashes dream remained in the balance, there could only be one contender. Pietersen’s agonising spill at cover, that allowed Michael Clarke to gallop to a matchwinning 91 at Lord’s. It was the sort of fractional error on which this series has balanced, and sure enough, Pietersen’s crown was claimed at the very last by none other than Warne, who dropped his Hampshire team-mate when he made just 15 of his 158 series-sealing runs.Turning point of the series
A seismic double-whammy at Edgbaston. First Glenn McGrath, fresh from nine wickets at Lord’s, steps on a cricket ball during pre-match practice and is stretchered off to hospital. Then, Ricky Ponting wins the toss and neuters his one remaining champion, Warne, by choosing to bowl first. England rampage to 407 on the first day and the momentum of the series has been seized.

Wicket of the series
Kasprowicz at Edgbaston is the runaway winner, naturally, although Harmison’s slower ball to Clarke the previous evening was perhaps even more invaluable. As the tail so amply demonstrated on that fourth morning, the pitch was good and England were fearful. Half a session of brilliance from Clarke, and it could have been all over.Over of the series
Edgbaston again, and that man Flintoff again. At 47 for 0 needing 282, Australia were flying and England needed a shot in the arm. Enter Freddie, bundling in from around the wicket. His second delivery bludgeons through bat and pad, and onto Langer’s off stump. His third, fourth and fifth deliveries curve into Ponting and torment his off stump. A tactical no-ball sets up a seventh stab of inspiration, and a wicked outswinger skims off the edge to cue pandemonium.Letdown of the series
Jason Gillespie’s demise was tragic – a likeable man, his tour had been over ever since Aftab Ahmed smacked him for six at Sophia Gardens, but the Australians were too bound up in their team ethic to spot how costly his demise was becoming. But the biggest disappointment was Simon Katich. His classy guidance of the tail at Lord’s should have been a springboard to greater feats, but instead he floundered against England’s reverse swing, and ultimately imploded with an out-of-character tirade at Trent Bridge.Stat of the series
For the first time since the 1978-79 Ashes – a series blighted by Packer defections – Australia failed to muster 400 in any of their innings. This, beyond all else, was the difference between the sides. As Adam Gilchrist graciously admitted, England’s attack was the best he had ever encountered in his career. The fortunes of Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden, two of the most aggressive batsmen in Test history, epitomised a side that had turned from hunters to hunted.Best moment of the series
At Edgbaston, Flintoff’s consoling of Lee at the moment of victory was beautiful, a revival of the sort of chivalry that was supposed to be anathema to modern-day sport – just imagine Wayne Rooney producing a moment like that. But what preceded it was all the more important. If Harmison had not conjured that last-ditch dismissal, if Jones had not taken the tumbling chance, England would have lost an unloseable game, Australia would be 2-0 up with the Ashes in the bag, and a generation would be lost to the game forever.Worst moment of the series
Flintoff’s apparent dislocated shoulder at Edgbaston. Not here, not now, not in this way. All the while that he struggled to regain his timing and nerve-endings, a sense of dread permeated every stakeholder in the game. England’s wipeout at Lord’s was none too clever either, and nor was the bungling bureaucratic idiocy that turned England’s moment of glory at The Oval into a confused melee of umpire meetings and tannoy announcements.Blinkered selection of the series
Australia’s insistence on turning to Stuart Clark (who?) whenever Glenn McGrath’s place was in doubt. A) He was never going to play, and B) Andrew Symonds or Shane Watson would have given a stricken side so many more options.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced the one-day international squad for next month’s tour to South Africa, with Chris Cairns the prominent omission. According to a media release, Cairns was not selected due to issues with his fitness.John Bracewell, coach of New Zealand, said: “I have met with Chris to discuss his non-selection and what is required for him to play his way back into the side. He is focused on playing in the World Cup and will have plenty of opportunity to return to form and full match fitness over the domestic season. He will be considered for a return to international cricket later in the summer. James Franklin has been brought into the team to replace Chris. We felt we had enough batting options, but needed an additional bowling option”.Speaking on the inclusion of Jeetan Patel, Bracewell said: “Patel showed good progress in his first tour in Zimbabwe. He provides a second spin bowling option and is good in the field. He is a long-term investment and deserves to be retained for a second tour.”He added that the team would tour with 15 players as “we need an extra option to make the best use of the new substitute rules”. According to Bracewell, “Franklin, James Marshall and Patel will play out the remainder of the one-day section of the A series in Sri Lanka. Their replacements for the four-day matches will be announced tomorrow.”New Zealand ODI squad
1 Stephen Fleming (Capt) 2 Daniel Vettori (Vice Capt) 3 Andre Adams 4 Nathan Astle 5 Shane Bond 6 James Franklin 7 Hamish Marshall 8 James Marshall 9 Brendon McCullum 10 Craig McMillan 11 Kyle Mills 12 Jacob Oram 13 Jeetan Patel 14 Scott Styris 15 Lou Vincent.