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ScorecardMark Cosgrove became the second captain to make a century in this match•Getty Images

Mark Cosgrove’s second consecutive century and a breezy 95 from Niall O’Brien helped Leicestershire fight back from 34 for four to take a lead of 47 at Wantage Road. Cosgrove’s 110 mirrored the captain’s knock played by Alex Wakely on day one and saw Leicestershire recover to make 372.Losing nightwatchman Rob Sayer in the fourth over of the day saw Leicestershire fall into deep trouble but, just as Northamptonshire fought back on the first day, the visitors responded with healthy middle-order partnerships.Cosgrove was the mainstay. He laid the groundwork in an intense morning session where 79 runs were ground out. But in unbroken afternoon sunshine and temperatures rising towards 30 degrees, batting became much easier and Leicestershire made healthy progressCosgrove took lunch on 65 not out, passing fifty in 81 balls, but then became a bystander for a jaunty innings from O’Brien. After the stand was ended, Cosgrove began once more to play his strokes and lifted Rob Keogh handsomely down the ground for his only six to move to 99. A third Championship century of the season was raised shortly after. He fell five overs into the second new ball as Rory Kleinveldt returned to complete a third five-wicket haul of the season, trapping Cosgrove lbw for 110, three short of his best score for Leicestershire.He shared three healthy middle-order partnerships, replicating the first afternoon recovery made by Northamptonshire. The first of those was instigated by O’Brien, whose aggression straight after lunch provided much-need impetus into the Leicestershire innings. Busy at the crease, he totally dominated a stand of 116 for the sixth wicket. He took eight from the first over after the break and 120 runs came in 20 overs after lunch.Two cuts flew over the slips before a flourishing cover drive off Rory Kleinveldt and a top-edged hook brought him an eighth boundary and fifty in just 42 balls. There was no let-up as the Northants attack began to toil. O’Brien was cruising to a first century of the season before pulling a long-hop from Rob Keogh towards deep-backward square leg where a stunning catch diving forward was taken by David Willey – one of four substitute fielders used by Northants, including head coach David Ripley.One of those fielders was needed after a serious-looking injury to Steven Crook. Chasing around the boundary he tripped over the rope and immediately went down holding his right ankle. A stretcher was needed to carry him off the ground and he went to hospital for a scan – his participation in T20 Finals Day next Saturday is now in doubt.The regular substitutes earned their fee on a long hot afternoon as the match returned to an even keel. Both innings were remarkably similar. Northants were 42 for four on day one but Leicestershire found themselves worse off before they also found a recovery. Cosgrove and Aadil Ali laid a platform with a stand of 71 for the fifth wicket; Ali was most obdurate, taking 60 balls to reach double figures and unlike his last performance against Derbyshire, could not take his careful start to a more meaningful score but the time he ate up paid dividends for his side later in the day.Clint McKay biffed them to a first-innings lead with his maiden Championship half-century for Leicestershire before Azharullah returned for the final over the day and picked up his 300th first-class wicket when No. 11 Charlie Shreck edged to Richard Levi at second slip, ending a tenth wicket stand of 47.

Northerns Titans paceman David Townsend exploited a disappointing batting performance from the Highveld Strikers to earn his side a 186-run lead on the second day of their Supersport Series match at the Wanderers on Saturday.Townsend took three wickets as the Strikers limped to the close on 170 for eight in response to the Titans’ first innings total of 356 all out.Earlier in the day, the Titans resumed on 306 for seven and with Steve Elworthy on 39 not out. Elworthy unleashed a hard-hitting and unbeaten 75 to further bolster the Titans’ innings.The veteran of Northerns cricket hit 10 fours and three sixes off the 115 balls he faced, and carried his bat when Northerns were bowled out for 356.Andrew Hall led the Strikers’ bowling attack, taking 5-93 as both he and Clive Eksteen wrapped up the Titans tail in the morning.Having done themselves little justice with ball in hand, the Strikers then failed in their attempt to prove themselves as a batting side. Only Adam Bacher stood out with 61.Sven Koenig was the first to make the long Wanderers walk back to the changeroom, dismissed for 16 by a catch at mid-wicket from Greg Smith off a ball from Elworthy that was pitched wide outside the off-stump.David Townsend then stepped into the attack for Northerns, and made the most vital breakthrough of the day shortly after lunch.Having just returned to the Titans side after a previous season where he was plagued by injury, Townsend had settled into an excellent rhythm.Bowling a good line and length, Townsend had Andre Seymore caught behind and then took Daryll Cullinan for a duck with his very next ball, lifting out the latter’s off-stump with embarrassing ease.Bacher was left to fend for himself, although he was given some support by Zander de Bruyn.The duo shared in a fourth-wicket stand of 61 runs before a horrendous run-out. It was sparked by some excellent fielding from Allahudien Paleker, who did well to stop a boundary off Bacher’s bat.The batsmen were busy on the third run when, despite being three-quarters of the way down the pitch, Bacher suddenly stopped and joined De Bruyn running to the same end. De Bruyn paid the price for the mistake.The weight of the innings eventually proved to great for the shoulders of Bacher to bear. With a much-needed century certainly beckoning, Bacher went out to the tamest of deliveries from Townsend, caught at point by Neil McKenzie.There was little resistance after that. But it has to be said that the Strikers’ batting did not make it very hard for the Titans to take wickets.

Not satisfied with a nine-wicket win over Bangladesh last week, New Zealand aim to crush the visitors in the second Test starting at the Basin Reserve in Wellington on Saturday.”There’s no letting off within the team. It’s almost the opposite,” captain Daniel Vettori told the . “The guys are pushing harder to get the result we need in an even better fashion than at Dunedin. If we can put on a big score and the key players in the top six make sure they bat for a long time and score big runs then I think we’ll be satisfied with that.”Stephen Fleming, Vettori’s predecessor, felt the side was very eager to do well after their recent defeats in South Africa and Australia. “It’s a lot easier to turn up when you’re expected to win,” Fleming said. “We’re enjoying being the dominant side but I guess we’ve got one eye looking towards the rest of the summer without slipping up against Bangladesh.”Fleming, 34, scored 14 in his only innings in Dunedin and is desperate for some big scores before his likely retirement after New Zealand’s return trip to England this year. “Every Test innings from here on is massively important,” he said. Fleming will be playing his 108th Test but in 16 games at this venue – which he ranks as his favourite, and at which he has scored more runs than anywhere else – his best is 97.John Bracewell, New Zealand’s coach, wanted the team to go all-out against Bangladesh, who have had a poor tour. “We’re pretty realistic as to where we’re at when we do our review,” he said. “I thought we were quite comprehensive in the one-day series in terms of ruthlessness. We had a day off being ruthless in Dunedin and that’s not good enough if we’re to compete with the big boys.”A win will give New Zealand two more points in the ICC rankings, to move within one point of Pakistan.New Zealand’s top order will be out to make amends for an indifferent performance in the first Test, as middle-order Mathew Sinclair indicated. “I know from a batting perspective I have a lot to prove after I didn’t push on in Dunedin,” he said. “There’s a lot of talk about the top order going out and doing the bizzo, we’re aware of that and we want to make the most of it.”Both teams have delayed naming their teams because of selection dilemmas. New Zealand are without Mark Gillespie, ruled out with a shoulder injury, and are confronted with the issue of whether to retain Iain O’Brien as the third seamer or opt for Michael Mason. Vettori hinted that they would probably go with O’Brien, on his home ground. “We might get a day of big wind…. someone has to bowl into it and Iain’s probably done that a lot over his Wellington career,” he said.The pitch is likely to count against spinner Jeetan Patel bowling in tandem with Vettori, who at first glance said it looked a little more dead than usual. It’s a flat surface, which, Bangladesh’s coach Jamie Siddons said, his team was looking forward to playing on. “We’d love to have a bat on it. It’s certainly not the threatened green seamer we expected to get all tour,” Siddons said.Siddons is expected to change his batting lineup after a miserable showing in Dunedin. Habibul Bashar was out to injudicious shots and Aftab Ahmed bagged a pair, so Rajin Saleh and allrounder Farhad Reza could replace them. The two openers, Tamim Iqbal and Junaid Siddique, are unlikely to be touched; they added a record opening stand in the second innings before the ten wickets fell for just 93 runs. Enamul Haque jnr, the slow left-arm spinner called up for the two-Test series, failed to impress in Dunedin and may make way for Abdur Razzak.Teams:New Zealand (likely): 1 Craig Cumming, 2 Matthew Bell, 3 Peter Fulton, 4 Stephen Fleming, 5 Mathew Sinclair, 6 Jacob Oram, 7 Brendon McCullum (wk), 8 Daniel Vettori (capt), 9 Kyle Mills, 10 Iain O’Brien, 11 Chris Martin.Bangladesh (from): Tamim Iqbal, Junaid Siddique, Habibul Bashar, Mohammad Ashraful (capt), Aftab Ahmed, Shahriar Nafees, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqir Rahim (wk), Mashrafe Mortaza, Farhad Reza, Rajin Saleh, Abdur Razzak, Shahadat Hossain, Enamul Haque, Sajidul Islam.

The ICC Board has suspended the membership of the United States of America Cricket Association (USACA).USACA failed to meet the agreed and subsequently extended deadlines for the adoption of its constitution and the holding of elections, the ICC confirmed in a letter to USACA president Gladstone Dainty.This is the second suspension for the USACA, after it was previously prevented from attending the 2005 annual conference after elections were shrouded in controversy. That suspension was lifted in March 2006 subject to new elections under a new constitution and the appointment of all USACA Executive positions by December 31. The USACA was then granted an extension for this until March 1, 2007.The suspension, under immediate effect, means that the USACA will not receive the annual ICC grant that was expected on April 15 and will be withdrawn from the World Cricket League Division 3 Series to be held in Darwin, Australia in May and relegated from that division. Additionally, the national team preparation grant for that event and direct funding support from the ICC Americas Region Development Program will also be withheld.The suspension will be lifted when the West Indies Cricket Board, requested by the ICC to monitor the progress of the game in the USA, recommends a suitable time in agreement with the Executive Board.Malcolm Speed, the ICC CEO, said the decision, though unpleasant, was necessary given then lack of initiative from the USACA. “It is especially disappointing that the USA players have had to be penalized in this way for matters that are largely beyond their control. The ICC recognizes that the USA has vast potential as a cricketing nation but without a functioning administration that potential is likely to remain largely untapped.”The ICC hopes this measure will serve to focus minds within cricketing circles in the USA, that sense will prevail and that all those with the good of the game at heart will come together and take control of this unfortunate situation.”

Michael Bevan, the former Australian batsman, remains uncertain about his future with Tasmania following a dispute over his role for the state side.The Tasmanian Cricket Association discussed Bevan’s contract as it neared the end of his two-year term and instructed the 35-year-old to either focus more on coaching, drop the responsibility entirely, or take a pay-cut.Speaking to ABC Radio, Bevan was adamant that full-time coaching was not an option. “I think realistically that scenario won’t happen,” he said. “It would mean I’d be down in Tasmania for 12 months and I wouldn’t be willing to bring my family down here.” Bevan’s wife and children still reside in Sydney.David Johnston, the TCA’s chief executive, denied rumours of a stand-off. “We’ve been talking to him right through this season,” he said. “We’ve put an offer to his management and he’s considering it.”Since moving from NSW to Tasmania two seasons ago, Bevan has picked up the Pura Cup Player of the Year award for his record 1464 runs and eight centuries last season. Ricky Ponting, who is still serving as Tasmania’s official captain, was diplomatic on the issue. “Look, I’m not sure what they’re thinking as far as his coaching role, but certainly as a player [he’s worth retaining],” he said.

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Anil Kumble triggered South Zone’s fightback and Vinay Kumar mopped up West’s tailenders as the Duleep Trophy game at Hyderabad was intruigingly poised at the end of the second day. After conceding a slender 20-run lead, West hit back through Irfan Pathan and reduced South to 141 for 5.Resuming on 71 for 3, West received a major jolt early in the day with Kumble bowling Sachin Tendulkar for just 4. Lakshmipathy Balaji snapped up two more quick wickets and had West reeling at 75 for 5. Niraj Patel, the Gujarat batsman who topped the Ranji Trophy charts, resisted for a while, making a gritty 43, and stitched together some useful partnerships with the lower order. Ramesh Powar, the star with the ball yesterday, chipped in with 31 but Kumar didn’t allow the tail to wag for too long and finished with impressive figures of 4 for 22.South lost wickets at regular intervals when they batted for the second time with Pathan removing both the openers. Zaheer Khan got through VVS Laxman’s defences while Powar dismissed Rahul Dravid for the second time in the game, with Niraj Patel taking the catch on both occasions. Venugopal Rao, a classy batsman from Andhra, prevented a further slump and remained unbeaten when stumps were drawn.With 25 wickets falling on the first two days the much-awaited encounter, played in a packed stadium, the match was set for an early finish. West still held the advantage they gained on the first day but they will know that facing Kumble on a bowler-friendly pitch in the final innings can be a deadly proposition.

India 211 for 3 (Sehwag 90, Tendulkar 44) beat Zimbabwe 208 for 6 (Streak 59*) by 7 wickets with 12.2 overs to spare
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The third match of the VB Series, at Hobart, resulted in a comprehensive win for India, after yet another worrying top-order collapse prevented Zimbabwe from reaching a competitive total. Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar put on their second century stand of the series as India achieved the 209-run target with 12.2 overs to spare to take home a bonus point as well. Heath Streak top-scored for Zimbabwe with an unbeaten 59 and troubled the Indian openers early on, but was let down by most of his team-mates.India’s opening pair initially approached batting with caution. Having done that, Tendulkar got into his groove and split the field with languid ease, bringing out a range of strokes that had gathered cobwebs during the Test series. The cut over point, the expansive drives, and a loft over mid-off were all on display. At the other end, Sehwag, who had lost his touch temporarily, found his variety of strokes again, much to the bowlers’ chagrin.After surviving when Tatenda Taibu put down a difficult chance, Sehwag rubbed in the mistake that very over, picking a delivery from Sean Ervine and putting it into the stands at midwicket. Sehwag brought his wrists into play often, pulling balls from outside off stump to midwicket, and standing high and punching through cover. And when Raymond Price bowled to him, spectators at midwicket were under constant threat.But Price wasn’t exactly powerless. He nearly had Tendulkar caught at cover, but for a straightforward chance being put down by Streak. Tendulkar’s masterclass ended the next over, when he played down the wrong line and was bowled by Ervine for 44 (129 for 1). After missing out on Tendulkar’s wicket, Price had his sights set on Sehwag (90), who played one shot too many, and spooned a catch to cover (158 for 2). Hemang Badani (15) made a minimal contribution, before playing an expansive drive and nicking a ball to Taibu (172 for 3). Sourav Ganguly then came out to score 32 of the 37 runs India needed, and took the team home by seven wickets.Earlier, though Streak held firm at one end, he needed support. It came in the form of Ervine, who smashed an unbeaten 48 off just 33 balls. Both batsmen took their chances, and raised a rambunctious 93-run partnership off only 72 balls. They ran hard, hit harder, and India’s bowlers, who had given a good account of themselves so far, didn’t know what to do. Anil Kumble bowled eight overs for 19, but then ran into Ervine, who hit a six over cover, and helped himself to 19 more off Kumble’s last two overs. Ajit Agarkar’s last over was taken apart for 20, after the first seven had gone for 19. A spectacular six over long-on preceded an even grander hit out of the ground over midwicket. Later that over, Streak flayed one to deep extra cover to reach his fifty. It was the kind of batting display that made you forget the bad start, until India put the target in perspective.India’s bowlers choked the runs and took wickets at regular intervals to keep Zimbabwe on the mat. The openers played watchfully for three overs, before Vusi Sibanda ran for a single that might have been on if Inzamam had been the fielder. Instead, Yuvraj Singh, at point, dived, stopped, and flung the ball to the bowler’s end, and Sibanda (12) was found short of his crease (14 for 1).Stuart Matsikenyeri played tentatively throughout his stay and scored 9 before attempting a full-blooded whack off Irfan Pathan to the leg side, only to loop it up gently for Badani to take a simple catch at cover (36 for 2).Shortly after, Kumble slipped a googly through Mark Vermeulen (2), bringing an end to a scratchy 24-ball innings (48 for 3). The next three batsmen got themselves out: Stuart Carlisle (37) played across the line to a straight one from Sehwag, Grant Flower (15) patted a ball back to the bowler, and Taibu somehow converted a full-length delivery from Badani into a yorker (114 for 6). It was at this stage that Ervine walked out to join Streak, and show the top order how things should be done. But it wasn’t enough, as India bludgeoned their way to victory, turning the three-team series more and more into a two-horse race.

SYDNEY, Jan 2 AAP – England captain Nasser Hussain won the toss and elected to bat on the opening day of the fifth Ashes cricket Test against Australia at the Sydney Cricket Ground today.Brad Hogg was named 12th man for Australia while Paul Collingwood was given the job of carrying the England drinks.Andy Bichel comes into the Australian team for the injured Glenn McGrath.For England, wicketkeeper Alec Stewart returns from injury and replaces James Foster.Play is set to get underway in fine, mild conditions.Teams:Australia: Steve Waugh (captain), Matthew Hayden, Justin Langer, Ricky Ponting, Damien Martyn, Martin Love, Adam Gilchrist, Brett Lee, Jason Gillespie, Stuart MacGill, Andy Bichel, Brad Hogg (12th man).England: Nasser Hussain (captain), Marcus Trescothick, Michael Vaughan, Mark Butcher, Robert Key, John Crawley, Alec Stewart, Richard Dawson, Andy Caddick, Matthew Hoggard, Steve Harmison, Paul Collingwood (12th man).

Hampshire and Sussex fought out a tame and meaningless last day in front ofa small crowd at the Rose Bowl, the grandeur of the new ground contrastingwith the lack of a contest on the pitch.Hampshire, 108 behind overnight at 392 for eight, continued for another hour before they were all out for 437, a first innings deficit of 63.James Kirtley climed the last two wickets, having Shaun Udal caught at backward point for 39 and then bowling Alex Morris for a career-best 65. Udal and Morris put on 95 for the fifth wicket.Faced with only a small lead, Sussex had little option but to bat throughwhat remained of the day and this they did until Chris Adams brought amerciful end by declaring at the first available opportunity at 5.20pm.Alan Mullally rested a groin strain and did not take the field and the onlyincident of note came early in the Sussex second innings when Murray Goodwinwas forced to retire after being struck on the hand by a rising deliveryfrom Dimitri Mascarenhas.The score was then 17 and by the time Sussex declared, Richard Montgomerie and Michael Yardy had taken the score to 179 without being parted.Hampshire used only occasional bowlers including Will Kendall for 14 overs and even wicket-keeper Adrian Aymes had his bowling chance. Montgomerie made 88 and Yardy a personal-best 75 but their inningss will have given them little satisfaction. Each hit seven fours.

Brad Hogg is the most unfashionable player on Australia’s 25-man contract list and admits to under-estimating his own capabilities at times. A 36-year-old employing a bowling style few have persevered with, he has remained in the national consciousness due to his one-day expertise. Now he is a cult hero at the SCG after scoring 79 in an innings-saving stand of 173 with Andrew Symonds.Australia, who won the toss, were in severe trouble at 6 for 134, but they were dug out of danger by two players who bat on instinct. Hogg performed like he had been in the team for years – it was his sixth Test – and attacked freely while Symonds waited a couple of hours to understand a two-paced pitch before relaxing.Driving strongly through cover off both feet, Hogg beat Symonds to a half-century before slowing down when reaching three figures became a serious possibility. “It was exciting to be in front of Andrew for a while, but he showed who was boss and got to 100 before I got to 70 and put me back in my place,” he said. “It was just exciting to be there.”Stepping back to cut at Anil Kumble, Hogg was caught by Rahul Dravid at slip and as he left the field he was cheered like one of the locals. Michael Clarke and Phil Jaques had failed and the spectators were desperate for someone to adopt. The players in the dressing room were also ecstatic and not just because the score had developed into a comfortable 7 for 307.”It’s fantastic to have a good partnership with my good mate Andrew and to knock a couple of records off,” Hogg said of the seventh-wicket stand, which was the highest against India and the largest at the ground. “It’s a fantastic feeling to have a good innings for Australia.”Hogg is an ideal team man who has waited four years for another Test chance, which arrived when Stuart MacGill underwent wrist surgery. Until Shane Warne exited a year ago Hogg was closer to retirement than a five-day recall and despite his strong batting performance, which lasted 102 balls and included ten fours, he knows he needs wickets to be sure of his place.The runs have provided a huge dose of confidence and Hogg is hoping it remains when he bowls. “It just makes you feel a bigger part of the team, knowing you’re contributing,” he said. “It’s good to get runs on the board, but I’m here for my bowling and hopefully I can get the wickets required.”Symonds was proud of his friend’s sensible batting and together they deflated an attack that was bouncing for the first half of the day. While Hogg missed three figures, Symonds brought up his second Test century with a single to mid-on. Both have come at critical stages.Australia were 5 for 84 when he reached 156 against England in 2006-07 and here he doused the early concerns of India getting back into the series following the heavy defeat in Melbourne. He was unbeaten on 137 at stumps after facing 173 balls and hitting 17 fours and two sixes.”The innings won’t mean much till the end of the game,” he said. “It’s a feeling of satisfaction, but it will mean more if we can have a result in the Test and I’ve contributed to a win. Four hundred is a very healthy first-innings score and we would hope we wouldn’t lose the game from there.”Patient in the first half of his display, Symonds increased his pace after bringing up his half-century early in the final session. Each run was painful for the Indians, who would have dropped Australia to 7 for 193 if Steve Bucknor had seen or heard the edge to Mahendra Singh Dhoni off Ishant Sharma.”I was very lucky,” Symonds said. “I was out on 30 and given not out. That’s cricket. I could sit here and tell you about some bad decisions as well, but I won’t. People make mistakes, players make mistakes, umpires do too.”