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Australian batsman Martin Love has pledged his future to Durham by signing acontract for his third consecutive season as the Club’s overseasprofessional.Love has been forced to return to Australia this season because of a bad break to a little finger, which he suffered in June. But he will return for season 2003 when the Club will be allowed two overseas professionals for the first time.He says: “I am thrilled to be coming back next year where I can pick up where I left off, I just hope the injuries are kinder to me.”Durham Chairman Bill Midgley added: “We are delighted that Martin will be rejoining us next year. He is a fantastic batsman and his professional attitude provides our younger players with an ideal role model.”

Blues coach Steve Rixon admits his patience has run out with the NSW cricket team and he’ll break with tradition by bolstering his under-performing Pura Cup squad with interstate players this season.”We are having a look at a couple of guys from interstate for the first time ever,” said Rixon who was appointed to another one year term with the Blues today.”The patience has run out and there is a lot we have to do.”While the Blues have performed strongly in the ING Cup with back-to-back trophies in the one-day competition over the past two seasons, their four-day form has left a lot to be desired.After a promising start last season NSW crashed to finish last in the Pura Cup.A fragile middle order carried most of the blame for the performances with only Michael Bevan a regular contributor.Rixon would not reveal who he was considering bringing into the team but the Blues have been linked with West Australian batsman Simon Katich among others.”We’ve got a job to do with the four-day game,” Rixon added.”And that’s why I renewed (my contract) because the reality is when I start something I like to finish it.”After coaching New Zealand for three years from 1996 before returning to his old job with the Blues, Rixon welcomed the flexibility that a shorter term offered for both himself and Cricket NSW.”I love cricket and love being involved with it but if I felt that I wasn’t contributing or making ground then it would be time for a new challenge and I’ve never been short of those,” he said.”This means there is an option, so if it doesn’t work out this year it gives both parties a chance to move on.”I am simply the sort of person that leaves the door open for both parties – I always leave room to renegotiate.”Fresh after a couple of weeks on holiday, Rixon has returned to his post with vigour and is working towards patching up the NSW side.”I’m back fresh with some different ideas and some new thoughts towards how we’re going into the new millennium,” he said.

Pakistan went into this match with five pace bowlers expecting the ball to deviate sharply and to take advantage of a pitch, which had been under cover all day yesterday. In my opinion, playing both all-rounders, Razzaq and Azhar was a defensive ploy. Oddly, in recent series the selectors are forever trying to bolster Pakistan’s fragile batting. Saqlain, on the other hand, would have provided Pakistan with much relished variety. No other side in the world could ever comprehend dropping such a world-class performer. I bet some of the Surrey members are mystified by this strange decision.Waqar was very upbeat in his pre-match interview but strangely, the whole team seemed subdued in the morning session. Rashid Latif had a decent workout after a long stint away from the national team but he could have been more vocal and energetic to help boost-up his teammates and keep them on their toes. Right from the outset, Wasim Akram looked out of sorts. He never cocked his wrist properly and seemed unable to hit the seam consistently today. Apart from Azhar Mahmood, all the other bowlers were guilty of bowling short. They forgot that in England in May, one must pitch the ball up to the batsman to give it more distance to swing.Waqar and Razzaq were steady but never looked menacing. Azhar Mahmood was the pick of the bowlers and benefited from bowling a tight line and pitching the ball up to the batsman. Shoaib bowled fast but bowled only three overs in his first spell, casting doubt over his match fitness. Under the same conditions at Lord’s, Glen McGrath decimated the English batting in the last Ashes series.It was important for Pakistan to make an early breakthrough, but Atherton was resolute and gritty and it was a surprise when he played down the wrong line in the end, to give Azhar a much-deserved second wicket. Trescothick has struck a rich vein of form all through the last few weeks of the new English season and was aggressive to put a lot of pressure on Pakistani bowlers by being positive.Eventually, he played a loose shot against Razzaq’s well pitched up ball and was snapped up at gully by Azhar. Vaughan batted like a seasoned professional but the Pakistanis furthered his case by bowling short outside off-stump, clearly his strong suit. Bowling to Vaughan, seemed lacking a game plan and if they had one, they did not stick to it. In the end it was pure luck and a good catch by Rashid Latif to bring his down fall.Nasser Hussain and Graham Thorpe were determined and batted as though they knew their mission. Thorpe, who was Pakistan’s nemesis last winter, looks set to haunt them in summer too. He is by far the best England batsman and the stroke, which brought his fifty, was so reminiscent of my old friend, Javed Miandad. Like Miandad, he is tenacious and has his own agenda in every match. The way he batted against our spinners last winter was a real eye opener for all of us. It took a lot of imagination from Waqar to prize him out. Nevertheless it was a brilliant innings and he may well have already done enough damage in this game.Nasser Hussain was at his patient best. He survived a couple of close leg before decisions but he hung in there for his team’s sake. He blocked our best bowler Azhar in the afternoon and prospered in the post-tea session with some help from our tiring bowlers.While all is not lost, Pakistan needs to have a good day tomorrow otherwise they might be looking up at the gray skies to ease them out of their predicament. My honest view is their dilemma is self-inflected.Pakistan’s out fielding today, was at its worst. English batsmen were allowed to pick up singles at will and some of the balls that crossed the boundary were well within the reach of the fielders. Modern dives and slides seemed to be a thing of the past again.If Pakistan team wants to recapture its glory days in England, I am afraid their work rate needs serious examination. Why were the tourists forced to bowl Younis Khan on the 1st day when they had five fast bowlers at their disposal? It does not make any sense to me. Does it to you?

Ed:Mudassar Nazar is a veteran of 76 tests and 122 ODIs. He is currently the chief coach of Pakistan’s National and Regional Cricket Academies. In view of the overwhelming interest of users in CricInfo’s articles, we have invited him to write for us.

Graham Thorpe has spoken of his delight at his selection in England’s Ashes squad following his decision to take a complete break from cricket earlier this summer.Thorpe hasn’t played since the first Test between England and India at Lord’s back in July, and plans to make his Surrey comeback in tomorrow’s championship match against Hampshire at The Rose Bowl.”I’m delighted to have been picked having not played for five or six weeks,” Thorpe said. “There was a lot of doubt as to whether I’d go and it’s up to me now to repay the faith the selectors have shown in me.”I feel the break has given me the chance to clear my mind and address the off-field issues which were there before. Everything is now more settled in my private life and I’m looking forward to playing cricket again.”I’m hoping to play for Surrey tomorrow and I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things. It will be nice to have a bat in my hand again and I know that I’m going to have to work hard in the run-up to the tour because Australia is a tough place to tour.”Durham fast bowler Steve Harmison is also thrilled by his selection alongside Glamorgan’s Simon Jones.”It’s everyone’s dream to play against Australia, and I’m no different to anyone else and I’m going out there to enjoy it,” Harmison said.”I got injured at a bad time and that didn’t help, but I was involved in four Test matches this summer and played in one that I really enjoyed and I thought I’d done well enough to be in with a shout of making the squad.”Australia will be tough. To be a great side you have to beat Australia and I think we can go there and give them a good game. I think this is the best chance we’ve had for a long time to beat them, with batters in form and firepower amongst the bowlers."Jones added: “It’s been very frustrating for me having this injury over the last couple of months and now I’m really pleased the selectors have shown faith in me – I’m going to be working hard over the next few weeks to make sure I’m fully fit.”I think the winter I spent with the Academy in Australia has prepared me well for what’s going to come and I know in my own mind what to expect. It’s going to be really hard work. They’re the best side in the world but I’m looking forward to it.”Essex wicket-keeper James Foster, who will go on the tour as understudy to Alec Stewart, was relieved to be selected after missing most of the summer with two successive injuries.”It has gone pretty badly to be honest. It has not been a summer cricket-wise because of injuries so this has been absolutely great news and a great relief. It was a tough one. I did have a lot of doubts but was delighted to hear the news today.”The way this year has gone I didn’t know what was going to happen. I have a lot to prove this winter. I was disappointed about getting injured but I am going to have to try to do my best as understudy to Alec and just be a professional on the tour.”Surrey fast bowler Alex Tudor admitted he was surprised at his omission, although he will still travel to Australia as part of the England academy.Tudor will still travel to Australia this winter, but only as part of the Academy side.”I am surprised and disappointed not to be included in the Ashes tour party,” Tudor said. “It is every player’s dream to tour Australia and I had hoped to retain my place in the England squad.”However, I am still only 24 and hope that if I continue to work hard on my game I can still fulfil my dream. I wish the team the best of luck and hope they can bring the Ashes back home.”

At the Central Districts’ Under-15 tournament (eight District teams) held in Masterton December 9-12 Nelson won the Graham Morrison Cup.Morrison has been a junior cricket administrator for some time prior to joining the CD Board. Farming duties have forced a premature retirement from administration but he should return in the future.The following teams will represent Central Districts at the zonal tournaments in January.Central Districts A to play in North Island tournament with Auckland, ND and Wellington in Rotorua from January 12-17 is: Michael Coman (Nelson), Daniel Cooper (Nelson), Scott Davidson (Taranaki), Jason Domdroski (Taranaki), Bryce Grant (Manawatu), Martin Kain (Nelson), Chad Law (Manawatu), Hamish Malcolm (Nelson), Ryan O’Sullivan (Hawke’s Bay), Michael Taiaroa (Hawke’s Bay), Christopher Taylor (Hawke’s Bay), Joseph Wheeler (Marlborough). Coach: Jamie Watkins. Manager: Alan Manton.Central Districts B to play Wellington B at Wellington from January 13-16 is: Max Carroll (Wanganui), Israel Dagg (Hawke’s Bay), Shane Eglinton (Horowhenua Kapiti), David Hughes (Taranaki), Ted Jefferd (Wanganui), Sam Kinross-White (Hawke’s Bay), Sean Lance (Wanganui), Andrew Mason (Taranaki), Daniel Norman (Manawatu), Cody Parker (Wairarapa), Hadleigh Parkes (Manawatu), Chris Ryan (Hawke’s Bay). Coach: Lincoln Doull. Manager: Chris Dear.

The day after reaching the national finals of the ESCA Under 13’s competition, Somerset went to Dowty CC in Gloucester to take on the old rivals Gloucestershire.Batting first Somerset score 225, with Patick Ost top scoring with 48, Ben Lyon making 32 and Bradley Derrick 30.In reply Gloucestershire were bowled out for 83, giving Somerset victory by 142 runs. There were two wickets each for Ben Lyons, Adam Howarth, and Alex Barrowman.

Durham have signed South African fast bowler Dewald Pretorius as their second overseas player for 2003.24-year-old Pretorius, who made his Test debut for South Africa against Australia in 2001/02, currently plays for South North in the ECB North EastPremier League. He joins Australian Martin Love as the Club’s second overseas professionals.Dewald is looking forward to returning to the North East next year. He said: “This is a great opportunity for me to make a name for myself on theCounty Circuit and I will be giving Durham 110%”.Durham Chairman Bill Midgley is delighted to have secured the Club’s twooverseas professionals before the end of the season. He said: “We aredelighted that Dewald has joined us, he will bring much needed experience tothe team and his professional attitude and outlook will be a great help inthe development of our young squad”.

Dewald Pretorius – StatisticsBorn: 6 December 1977, Pretoria, TransvaalMajor Teams: Free State, South AfricaBatting Style: Right Hand BatBowling Style: Right Arm Fast

Dewald and Club Chairman, Bill Midgley, will be available for one on oneinterviews between 2.30 & 3.30. Please contact James Bailey on 07768 552649 to arrange an appointment.

The Somerset and England bowler, Andrew Caddick, has received a reprimand under the ECB’s new discipline code following an incident during Somerset’s Frizzell County Championship Division One fixture with Yorkshire at Taunton.Caddick was reported by the umpires David Constant and Roy Palmer for a Level One breach of the new code (showing dissent at the umpire’s decision by word or action.)The penalty remains in force for a period of 12 months. Any further level 1breach will result in an automatic imposition of three penalty points.The ECB’s new discipline code came into force at the start of this season and Caddick is the first player to be penalised in this way.

India completed their second victory in two days to go top of the table in the NatWest triangular series, beating Sri Lanka by five wickets with four overs to spare at the AMP Oval. Amid flag-waving, whistling and horn-blowing, a 60-run partnership between Yuvraj Singh and Mohammad Kaif took India from the doubtful position of 135 for five to a position where victory was certain.Set what by the standards of the series so far was a moderate target at four runs an over, India got under way fortuitously with an inside edge for four by Sourav Ganguly off Chaminda Vaas in the first over. Virender Sehwag began much as he left off at Lord’s, with pulls to mid-wicket off both Vaas and Nuwan Zoysa. But it was Vaas who made the much-needed breakthrough, winning an lbw call against Ganguly from a ball that cut back at him from outside the off stump. When Sehwag was caught at cover, driving at Vaas, India were 26 for two, and Sri Lanka sensed that they just might be back in business. Enter Sachin Tendulkar, who opened his account with a cover drive of typically immaculate timing. After being beaten by Zoysa with some late movement, he glanced another boundary when offered room on his pads.As Zoysa dropped short, Mongia hooked him imperiously for six to hoist India’s 50. On the “anything you can do, I can do better” basis, Tendulkar then hooked Dilhara Fernando, Zoysa’s pace bowling partner at the other end, out of the ground. The other Fernando, Buddika, replaced Zoysa but the runs continue to flow with Mongia cracking another four through mid-wicket, putting India back on course. A misfield by Arnold at extra cover gifted Mongia two more as events took on a certain air of inevitability.After just two overs from Buddika, Upul Chandana’s leg-spin was introduced at the Vauxhall end but that too was punished, Mongia driving straight for four. But the left-hander perished in the next over, hooking once too often at Dilhara Fernando to see Vaas running round from long leg, judging a steepler to perfection. There was a delay when a square cut from Tendulkar hit a pigeon on the outfield. The unfortunate bird was removed from the arena, but happily it later recovered.Chandana took his first wicket when Dravid leaving his crease to drive, got an inside edge on to his off stump via his boot. Zoysa, returning at the PavilionEnd, was immediately square cut to the fence by Tendulkar. However, eight balls later, a little extra lift from Zoysa was enough to snare India’s maestro, the ball brushing his glove on the way through to Kaluwitharana.With India teetering on the edge of trouble, Kaif pulled Zoysa nervelessly for four, and Yuvraj Singh played much as he did at Lord’s yesterday, mixing watchful defence with the ferocious dispatch of the bad ball. By the time he was out, when the substitute Silva caught a skier at mid-wicket off Dilhara, India had effectively won the game. It was left to Kaif to finish it, with a pushed single to square leg.Earlier, a three-wicket burst from Man-of-the-Match Ajit Agarkar took the wind out of Sri Lanka’s sails after Jayasuriya, on his 33rd birthday, had raised expectations of a batting carnival. Zaheer Khan was hit for 13 in his first over, six of them cut over third man by Jayasuriya – a remarkable stroke. But Kaluwitharana, missed behind the stumps by Dravid off Nehra, edged Agarkar’s first ball for Dravid to make no mistake.Jayasuriya, on 36, edged an attempted cut to be well caught by Dravid, two-handed at full stretch to his left. Without addition to the total Khan, switched from the Vauxhall to the Pavilion End, found a way through Atapattu’s defences via inside edge and pad to hit his off stump. Arnold, sporting the revolutionary new Woodworm bat, looked confident as he hooked Agarkar for four, but was then caught behind sparring at the same bowler.In the circumstances, Jayawardene and Nawaz were forced to play themselves in cautiously, with the inevitable result of a drop in the scoring rate. Nawaz, after a streaky boundary to third man off Ganguly, was caught at slip next ball attempting to steer the ball in the same direction. With boundaries scarce, Jayawardene exchanged ones and twos with Chandana until the former, given width outside the off stump by Ganguly, drove him sweetly to the rope at cover.Nehra’s return gave India the additional breakthrough they wanted, as Chandana tried to pull a short ball from outside his off stump, got a leading edge and Kaif took a fine catch, scooping the ball up as he dived forward at extra cover.Agarkar’s return was expensive, as Jayawardene showed his class with a straight-driven boundary, and reached his fifty in less orthodox manner, edging four more to third man. His patient but invaluable knock ended rather tamely, when he pushed indecisively at Khan to present an easy return catch. Zoysa played an injudicious swish to be caught at square leg, and Sri Lanka’s eventual total of 202 for eight never really looked adequate.

Some 66 overs into South Africa’s second innings Australia found inspiration under Durban’s blazing sun from an unlikely quarter. Mark Waugh, whom some speculated might be axed for this match, grabbed two unexpected wickets to keep Australia in what has been an extraordinary third and final Castle Lager Test match.Waugh’s breakthrough unlocked the South African middle order after a century from Herschelle Gibbs should have pretty much wrapped up his team’s first victory over Australia this summer. All this Australian team needs, though, is a scent of blood and before the South Africans had caught their breath, they had slipped from 216 for one to 232 for four.The victory target, after Australia had been bowled out for 186 seven overs into the day, is 335. At stumps South Africa were 264 for four and on balance you would probably have to favour the home team. But that is to assume that the locals are a happy, settled team, free from anxiety and confident of their own abilities.In fact, the opposite is true after five successive drubbings from Australia. The match is still there to be won by South Africa, but it will be a test of their nerve and it is a fact that more often than not this summer, South Africa have been found wanting whenever they have tried to go toe to toe with Australia.Waugh was brought into the attack by his brother Steve pretty much as a weapon of last resort. None of the four frontline bowlers had made an impression on a pitch that, despite all that happened on Saturday, continues to play as well as the batsmen of either side could have wished for.Waugh struck with his 11th ball when Graeme Smith top-edged a pull for Adam Gilchrist to allow the ball to drop into his gloves. The catch ended a 74-run second wicket partnership of which Smith’s contribution was 42.Gibbs then tried to hit Waugh over midwicket in the offspinner’s next over, failed to get the distance and was gone, caught by Damien Martyn for 104. It was his sixth Test century and his first against Australia. It was a splendid exhibition of his talents, but it was also a silly way to get out and at a bad time for his team.Neil McKenzie made just 4 before Shane Warne claimed his 100th wicket against South Africa, a magnificent catch by Matthew Hayden as he ran away towards the boundary from wide mid on. Ashwell Prince almost ran himself out and was nearly bowled hitting across the line against Waugh but managed, somehow, to stay with Jacques Kallis until stumps.It had all seemed so promising earlier in the day for South Africa. Steve Waugh took his score to 42, thereby ensuring that his Test average stands exactly at 50 now, before he was splendidly caught at second slip by Kallis off Makhaya Ntini and Glenn McGrath had his off stump removed by the first ball he faced.South Africa needed a solid start and it was given them by Gibbs and Gary Kirsten. The partnership, 142, was only the seventh century stand by a South African opening pair against Australia and the third since South Africa’s readmission and while it might not have broken Australia, it would certainly have brought renewed hope flooding into the South African dressing room.For once the Australian bowlers looked short of ideas and it took a spectacular run out to end the stand. Martyn’s sharp pickup and throw was gather by Brett Lee who demolished the wicket completely with Kirsten nowhere in sight. Kirsten had made 64 and, probably, most South Africans would have preferred the unpredictable Gibbs to have been the victim, but in this instance, it was not a matter of choice.Gibbs, though, played with greater restraint and common sense than he has shown all summer. He was at the crease for just under five hours, and although his downfall finally came about by way of an ill-judged shot, he could at least argue that he had made few other mistakes in energy-sapping heat.Australia took the second new ball three overs before the close and will have a final fling with it on Monday morning. South Africa need 71 to win and Australia have to take six wickets. It is hard to believe that the tourists will not back themselves to win. The real question, though, is whether South Africa believe they can finish the match off. They have Jacques Kallis, on 35, at the crease and you tend to think that if he stays there, the home side will prevail. If he falls early on Monday morning, though, then all bets would be off.