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ARL spinners Alamgir Khan and Sohail Tanveer restricted Saga to just 200 in their first innings on the first day of their Kardar Trophy match at ARL Ground here Thursday.Alamgir, bowling to a fine line and length, picked up five for 66 while Sohail proved equally good with the ball, conceding 67 runs for his four wickets.Shahzad Malik was the main scorer for Saga with 65, followed by Ashraf Ali who hit 45.In reply, ARL were 138 for four at the close of play, strike bowler Tahir Mughal inflicting the early damage with three for 43.Asim Butt and Manzoor Ali were together at the crease having collected 24 and 29 runs respectively.Centuries by opener Hasnain Alam (108) and Zia-ul-Haq (101) helped Army reach 385 in their first innings against PTV at Pindi Club Ground.Shiraz Khalid also batted well to contribute 61 while Ahmed Shah scored 47.Slow left-armer Nadeem Sikander captured six for 121 in 30.5 overs.PTV, in reply, were eight for no wicket in as many overs at stumps.Our Sports Reporter adds from Karachi: A superb opening partnership of 129 between Ali Hussain (87) and Mohammad Hafeez (84) led Sui Gas to a reasonable 293 for nine in their first innings against Karachi Port Trust (KPT) at UBL Sports Complex.KPT were 12 for no wicket at draw of stumps.Left-arm spinner Mohammad Sarfraz claimed five for 60 as Navy restricted Pakistan Education Board (PEB) to 210 for eight in the game at PCB Regional Academy Ground.Navy reached 42 for one at close of play.Pakistan Air Force (PAF) did well to curtail a strong KESC side to only 243 in their first innings at National Stadium.KESC, in fact, struggled for most of the day and only managed to recover thanks to a robust knock of 54 by tailender Tabish Khan.Tabish, who recently represented Karachi Whites in the National Under-19 Cricket Championship, slammed six fours and one six in his 44-ball innings.Wicket-keeper Amin-ur-Rehman was the other major scorer. He made 42 off 43 balls with the aid of four fours and a six.Mohammad Riaz, the slow left-armer, was the pick of PAF’s bowlers by returning splendid analysis of five for 89 in 34.1 overs.The airmen lost opener Shahid Khan cheaply to end the day on 22 for one.

The Somerset Under 12’s lost their opening match of the season when they went down by four wickets to Dorset at Dean Park in Bournemouth.Dorset won the toss and batting first scored 133 for 6 in their 35 overs.In reply, despite a brave effort from the Somerset batsmen they were all out for 122, just 12 runs short of their target in the 34th over.

Herschelle Gibbs scored his seventh career century as South Africa outclassed Pakistan by 54 runs in the first match of the Morocco Cup Monday.Gibbs struck a flawless 114 and nullified Waqar Younis’s five for 38 to propel South Africa to an imposing 283 for nine. Pakistan, in their turn, never succeeded in building partnerships and were finally dismissed for 229.It was an excellent allround performance by the South Africans who were initially expected to be rusty after coming from the four-month lay-off. In their last assignment, there were routed by the Australians in both the Tests and one-day series.For Pakistan, it must be a timely wake-up call as they have entered into the competition as odds-on favourites after having won everything this year, including a 2-1 victory over Australia in the Super Challenge-II.When Shaun Pollock decided to make first use of the wicket after winning the toss, many thought he had made a mistake as the pitch was new and nobody was convinced how it would behave. And although Gary Kirsten was a victim to double paced wicket, the South Africans kept their cool. Gibbs controlled the proceedings and rest of the players just provided him the support from the other end by rotating the strike.South Africa were on course for a 300 plus score when Gibbs and Jonty Rhodes were batting. But a late charge by Waqar restricted South Africa to 283 when he picked three of his five wickets in the death overs.Gibbs struck everything from the centre of the willow and produced eight exquisite boundaries. High winds in the open area also allowed him to fetch three elegant sixes that had all the timing and minimum of power.Gibbs featured in two fruitful partnerships. For the third wicket with Nicky Boje (52), he added85 off 82 balls while for the fourth wicket with Rhodes (46), he put on 120 runs from 112 balls.Gibbs completed his century in style when he hit Saqlain Mushtaq gracefully and against the spin for a boundary. He picked up a boundary and a six off successive balls in the same over.Besides a disappointing performance from Saqlain, Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq were also below-par, although it would be unjustified to blame Afridi because he is not a specialist bowler. He is a batsma-cum-bowler but the team management is bent upon making him a bowler-cum-batsman.When Pakistan batted in better and warmer conditions, Saeed Anwar and Imran Nazir provided them a good start when they posted 55 before things started to go wrong.Imran was worth watching when he played glorious drives during his 31-ball knock that produced nine boundaries. He scored 40 before being trapped in front of the wickets by Jacques Kallis who also accounted for Saeed.Afridi threw his bat around and picked up three fours and a six in his 29-ball 34 but he was fighting for a lost cause. Pakistan slim hopes ended when Rashid Latif was adjudged leg before by nudging the ball down the fine-leg and a couple of balls later Abdul Razzaq had his stumps shattered by Allan Donald.

After an intense winter in Rod Marsh’s newly formed England Academy down under, Chris Tremlett has returned fitter, stronger and quicker for the 2002 season.It will be a test of the 20-year-old progress, having made a significant impression in Hampshire’s promotion to County Championship Division One with 20 wickets in his seven first-class matches.With a season in the Academy under his belt, Tremlett believes this is going to be a big season, not only for Hampshire, but also for him personally. “I learnt a lot during the winter and feel a lot fitter. And I believe my bowling has come on as well.”My action has improved. I am now bowling in a straighter line, closer to the stumps and with a bit more pace. I am hoping that with me probably being one of the quicker bowlers, I can command and maintain my place in the side.”With the new signings in the batting department, young Tremlett considers there will be plenty of competition, but is hopeful there will be plenty of opportunities for him. “I obviously want to get into the first team, play well, keep my place and get as many wickets as I can.”It is a big season for me. It will be a lot harder in Division One but we can push for the top spot. The lads are certainly up for it, I have noticed that since I have been back.It is not only in the first-class game but also in the limited-overs matches, where he performed well and with plaudits from television experts and many a supporter, where Tremlett is looking to excel.”I did well in the one-day games as well, so I hope to further myself there too.”His Academy excursions in Australia, which he describes as “very intense” were valuable to Tremlett’s learning. “It was pretty much mostly hard work, with training and weight training every day. But I also learnt about other things apart from cricket – lifestyle changes and patterns.”I was able to learn more about myself and this, I hope, can hold me in good stead for the season.”The National Academy have broken up now, with no matches scheduled for the coming year but the 2002-2003 `students’ will be announced earlier and Tremlett wanted to be a part of it again.”I was one of the youngest players out there. Rod Marsh is coming over this summer and will be keeping a close eye on the Academy lads. But I am keen to return, to work further on my body and get even more stronger and fitter.”

Hampshire field two Young Cricketers sides in Guernsey and Sussex during the half-term holiday week.With Raj Maru’s Under-19 travelling to St Peter Port, the Under-17s face Sussex at Worthing on Monday and Tuesday.Under-17s v Sussex : Doug Bellchamber (Portsmouth), David Griffiths (Academy), James Manning (Andover), Matt Metcalfe (Calmore Sports), Mark Mitchell (Academy), Graham Noble (BAT Sports), Alex Richardson (Locks Heath), Mitchell Stokes (Basingstoke & North Hants), Cille van der Merwe (Andover), Chris Wright (Liphook & Ripsley), Gareth Ransley (Locks Heath).

The suspense drama surrounding the Pakistan team for next month’s tourto England ended late Saturday evening when Pakistan Cricket Board(PCB) named a 17-man squad, including former captain Wasim Akram.The PCB caught the cricket scribes wrong footed after saying earlierin the day that the announcement would be made next week after nonconsensus on the composition of the squad was reached.The team, which was undecided until 7.30pm, was given the final shapeby the PCB chairman Lt Gen Tauqir Zia at 10.20pm who, using his vetopower, included Wasim as the 17th player.Wasim’s inclusion meant that Fazle Akbar, the Peshawar pacer who wasexpected to serve as the workhorse, missed the bus after asatisfactory performance in New Zealand last month.Also out of the 20-man provisional list announced Tuesday were openersImran Nazir and Shahid Afridi while left-handed opener Imran Farhatsneaked into the team by the skin of his teeth.Controversial pacer Shoaib Akhtar was also named in the side thoughhis fitness was still unknown. Shoaib, who has twice been reported fora suspect bowling action, was supposed to undergo a fitness test. Buthe didn’t, leaving big doubts whether he would survive the tour whichinclude four county matches, two Tests and the tri-nation one-dayseries.Shoaib hasn’t played competitive cricket since Feb 28 when he hobbledfrom the Dunedin ground during the fifth and final one-dayinternational because of a hamstring injury.Previously, Shoaib had also failed to complete the tour to the WestIndies and missed rest of 10-month cricket because of multipleinjuries.Interestingly, Australian Darrell Hair and Englishman Peter Willey whofirst reported him in November 1999 in the third Test at Perth, willbe officiating in the Lord’s Test starting May 17.A spokesman of the PCB said the team for the one-day series would beannounced later. He revealed no further details as to why there was adelay in the announcement of the team.The inclusion of Wasim Akram, even though as 17th member, confirmsthat the former captained played his cards right and made it into thesquad despite the fact that Waqar Younis was stubborn and adamant notto include him.However, it is a different issue altogether with Wasim finds a placein the playing line up in the presence of Waqar, Shoaib, MohammadSami, Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmad.The demon leftarm pacer should have been an automatic choice as someof those selected are very ordinary pacers specially at Test level.The left-hander, who has 409 Test and 440 one-day wickets, has claimed53 wickets at 29 in his previous four Test tours to England. Besides,he has more than a decade experience of playing in English conditionswith Lancashire.Wasim, who will celebrate his 35th birthday on the penultimate day ofthe Old Trafford Test, his adopted county ground, has also scored2,815 runs at 22.52.While there were no other surprises, Mohammad Wasim earned theselectors nod after missing 13 months of international cricket.Wasim, who burst into international scene with a century on debut, hadplayed 18 Tests in five years which proves that the opener was notbeen allowed to establish in the Test side.Continuous reshuffling of his batting order and lack of propertechnique had combined to affect his overall performance at thehighest level.The team includes three openers, five middle-order batsmen, awicketkeeper, four fast bowlers, two allrounders and two spinners.Squad:Saeed Anwar, Imran Farhat, Mohammad Wasim (openers), Yousuf Youhana,Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq (vice-captain), Faisal Iqbal, Salim Elahi(middle-order batsmen), Rashid Latif (wicketkeeper), Waqar Younis(captain), Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami (fast bowlers),Azhar Mahmood, Abdur Razzaq (allrounders), Saqlain Mushtaq and MushtaqAhmad (spinners).Manager: Yawar SaeedBowling coach-cum-consultant: Daryl FosterTrainer: Dayle Naylor.

Roger Telemachus and Andrew Hall have been recalled to the South African squad for the Standard Bank One-Day International Series against Australia which starts at the Wanderers on Friday.Also back in the side is captain Shaun Pollock, who missed all three Test matches against Australia because of injury, as well as the Free State pair of Boeta Dippenaar and Nicky Boje, who played in the first Test match but lost their places thereafter.There are no real surprises in the squad except, perhaps, for the inclusion of the occasionally inconsistent Telemachus, but with Allan Donald not considered and Nantie Hayward still making his way back from an ankle injury, he has been given another chances to resurrect a career that has had more than its fair share of stutters.Despite losing the Test series 2-1 to Australia, South Africa recently won the VB Series in Australia and will start favourites in the shortened form of the game against an Australian team rebuilding under new captain Ricky Ponting.The South African selectors also named a President’s XI to play India A in Chatsworth from March 22-24.South African squadShaun Pollock (captain), Nicky Boje, Mark Boucher (vice captain), Boeta Dippenaar, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Gary Kirsten, Lance Klusener, Neil McKenzie, Makhaya Ntini, Jonty Rhodes, Roger Telemachus.President’s XI: Loots Bosman, Arno Jacobs, Ahmed Amla, Justin Ontong, Hashim Amla,Gerald Dros (captain), Robin Peterson, Kruger van Wyk, Alfonso Thomas, Brendan Reddy, Mornantau Hayward. 12th Man: Lucky Dladla KwaZulu-Natal. Manager/Coaches: Hylton Ackerman and Raymond Booi

Rob Quiney, the Victoria opening batsman, is likely to become Australia’s 429th Test cricketer after he was called up as cover for the injured Shane Watson ahead of the first match against South Africa in Brisbane.John Inverarity’s selection panel chose 30-year-old Quiney as an in-form top order batsman rather than picking one of several allrounders who took part for Australia A against the South Africans at the SCG.His first innings 85 demonstrated confidence and poise, before an undefeated 11 in the second showing some steel against a revved up Dale Steyn.”It was good to have a good hit out against them, albeit the wicket in Sydney compared to the one we’re going to play on is going to be a bit different and to see Steyn crank it up today,” Quiney said. “It’s good to have a little taste of it but obviously you’re going to step up even more from this game.”I think I’ve been fairly consistent in the last 18 to 24 months, so that’s something I’ve been working on. Not such a great start in the Shield stuff for me this year but it’s an opportunity, it comes through timing, and if it does eventuate then I’m hoping to enjoy it, soak it up and do as best I can.”Given Watson’s calf injury history and the captain Michael Clarke’s preference for the allrounder to capable of bowling and batting whenever he plays, Quiney’s chances of being handed a baggy green cap on the first morning of the Test appear strong. No replacement player was named for Ricky Ponting, meanwhile, as he is making rapid progress in recovering from a hamstring niggle.Inverarity indicated that a call on Watson would be made “sooner rather than later”, and lauded Quiney for his consistent run-getting in recent summers. Last season he compiled 938 runs at 49.36, to follow up 724 at 42.58 in 2010-11. He had made a quite modest start to 2012-13 with only 68 runs in three matches, but there was plenty of fluency at the SCG.”Rob Quiney has impressed the NSP with his performances in all formats in recent years. He was particularly impressive in the Australia A game that concluded at the SCG today,” Inverarity said. “His 85 from 113 balls against the strong South African attack demonstrated a good range of shots and a sound technique. He is in good shape at the moment and he is ready to grasp his opportunity should he get the nod for Friday.”Rob is a mature player with an equable temperament who has been on the verge of higher honours for some time, and I note his achievements for Victoria were recognised last year when he was named State Player of the Year at the Allan Border Medal evening.”Quiney’s first taste of national duty came when he was chosen in the squad but did not play any matches in a Twenty20 series against New Zealand in 2009. He has flown up from Sydney to Brisbane on Sunday night to join Australia’s Test 12.

Piran Holloway and Richard Johnson rescued a modicum of pride for Somersetbefore they succumbed to an innings defeat by Lancashire at Taunton.Resuming their second innings on 106-6 after the third-day wash-out, the home side still required 68 runs to make Lancashire bat again. This time there was no assistance from the weather. And when Keith Dutch fell lbw to Peter Martin’s loosener without adding to his score of 12, a one-sided opening Championship fixture looked to be heading for a quick finish.But Holloway can be a gritty competitor in such circumstances. The littleleft-hander was soon in obdurate mood and found a willing eighth-wicket partner in Johnson as the pair added 55 in 21 overs. Johnson hit 4 fours in his 37 and can reflect on an encouraging Somerset debut, which saw him take five wickets in the Lancashire innings, despite the disappointing result.Just when it seemed the partnership might spare Somerset the indignity of defeat by an innings, Johnson attempted a forcing shot off Andy Flintoff’s first ball of the day and edged to wicketkeeper Warren Hegg. Steffan Jones was soon struck on the helmet by a Martin delivery and then played over the top of a fuller length ball to have his stumps shattered for four.The game ended with the opening delivery of Flintoff’s next over as Holloway lost his leg stump, having made 74 off 197 balls, with 6 fours and a five.Somerset had been bowled out for 170 to lose by an innings and four runs.Flintoff’s remodelled action brought him 2-7 from 5.1 overs, while Martin’stwo final day victims left him with 3-55 from 21 overs. Lancashire took 19 points and Somerset four.

Surrey have offered Graeme Smith, South Africa’s Test captain, a lucrative long-term deal that could potentially require him to give up international cricket.ESPNcricinfo understands that Smith has been identified by Surrey as the perfect man to lead their rebuilding process after a season that saw the retirement of senior batsman Mark Ramprakash, the death of the talented Tom Maynard and the departure of former captain Rory Hamilton-Brown. Smith would open the batting and lead the side.It is not hard to see the attraction from Surrey’s point of view. Smith, who will be 32 in February, has played more than 100 Tests and, as captain, overseen South Africa’s ascent to No. 1 in the rankings. He averages almost 50 in Test cricket and scored a century in his 100th Test, against England at The Oval earlier this year.After years on the road, a period of relative stability in London might well prove attractive for Smith too. He has recently married – his wife is from Ireland – and had his first child. But, while Smith has achieved almost everything he could have wanted as a Test player and no longer warrants selection in South Africa’s T20I side, the ambition to win a World Cup remains strong.While it is possible that Surrey would consider signing Smith simply as an overseas player and be happy for him to continue his international career, it is understood from a source in South Africa that the club are looking for a long-term option and would be reluctant to accept a situation where a player comes and goes according to the international fixture list. South Africa are scheduled to play in the Champions Trophy in England next June and then tour Sri Lanka in July and August.Surrey declined to comment.