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Can Belinda Clark steer Australia to success?© Getty Images

After months of intense preparation, the eighth women’s World Cup kicks off today in South Africa and, as Australia’s captain Belinda Clark told Cricinfo: “It should be a great competition.”Well, yes it should – but just who will be watching? In 1997, crowds of 80,000 flocked to Eden Gardens to see Australia defeat New Zealand, while Cricinfo live-streamed the next event, in 2000, from New Zealand.But this World Cup, based in and around Pretoria, could struggle to attract decent crowds – the women’s game is still very much in its infancy in South Africa – so much so that free tickets are being offered for all matches. The exception is the final, at Centurion, where a ringside seat to watch the world’s finest compete for ultimate supremacy will set punters back just R20 (£1.80).Yet on display in the tournament will be a former Wisden Cricketer of the Year, Clark, among others. Clark’s Australia are in dominant mood, with an ominous will. “Our motivation is that we don’t hold the World Cup,” Clark adds. They’re certainly going about reclaiming it in the best possible fashion: they beat India recently 4-3 and last week won all three matches against New Zealand to claim the Rose Bowl.It was not the only defeat suffered by the current World Cup holders, New Zealand, in the build-up: they also lost 3-2 in England last summer. England rose to second in the world on the back of that series: have they peaked at the right moment? The signs are good. They rolled over the hosts South Africa in their two-match warm-up, and butchered two Gauteng representative sides, one by 368 runs and the other by ten wickets with a whopping 44 overs to spare. But England know there are significant tests ahead – starting with Australia in their first warm-up match.”Everyone is a threat,” England’s allrounder Clare Taylor told Cricinfo. And she should know – this is her fifth World Cup. “Anyone can win in a one-off game. It all depends what happens on the day.” “It’s going to be a tough schedule,” says Ireland’s manager and former player, Sandra Dawson. She isn’t wrong: each of the eight teams faces a gruelling seven matches in 13 days – and that’s just for starters.

Can England run out winners at the eighth World Cup?© Getty Images

The teams play each other on a round-robin basis, with the top four qualifying for the semi-finals. Ireland would love to reach the last four: but their goal is a more realistic top-six finish, which will guarantee them automatic qualification for the next tournament. They haven’t played a one-day international since New Zealand hammered them 3-0 last summer and they know that they are far from finalist material.The final itself will be held at SuperSport Park, Centurion, on April 10, but the preliminary matches provide some less attractive venues: some grounds are even situated on a roundabout. But after the merry-go-round that was West Indies’ preparations, the Caribbean side are just grateful to be taking part at all.Since pre-qualifying in Holland in 2003 they have faced an uphill struggle to secure the sponsorship. On paper, they are the weakest side: they have only one centurion in their number – Nadine George. But their financial difficulties could have a galvanic effect, although the semi-finals would be a more realistic ambition.The likely last four are Australia, New Zealand, England and India, with hosts South Africa the other team in the frame. Whether anyone will be there to see it is a different matter.

New Zealand 196 for 2 (Vincent 66, Fleming 46) beat Zimbabwe Board XI 193 for 8 (Taylor 49) by eight wickets
ScorecardAn opening partnership of 108 by Stephen Fleming and Lou Vincent guided New Zealand to an easy eight-wicket win with almost 25 overs to spare in a warm-up match at Bulawayo.Andy Blignaut won the toss and elected to bat, but Chamunorwa Chibhabha soon fell for a 25-ball duck, and Vusumuzi Sibanda departed for 6 soon after. A 57-run stand for the third wicket between Stuart Carlisle (24) and Craig Wishart (35) brought some hope for the home side but both fell to Scott Styris, holing out to Daniel Vettori at mid off.Brendan Taylor went for 49 when he lofted Jeetan Patel only to be brilliantly taken by Vettori on the boundary. Charles Coventry scored a quick 15 off 21 balls, smashing two fours and one six, before Vettori bowled him round his legs. Blignaut hit two fours and the same number of sixes before Patel bowled him for 24 and Gavin Ewing hit an unbeaten19 runs off just 11 balls with two fours and two sixes. Andre Adams was the pick of the bowlers with 1 for 12 off nine overs.Vincent and Fleming never wasted time and smashed the Zimbabwe Board XI bowlers all over the park, scoring at over ten an over. Vincent raced to his half century off 30 balls with nine fours and one six. Blignaut and Waddington Mwayenga got a hammering and offspinner Ewing had to be introduced into the attack as early as the eighth over.New Zealand lost their first wicket when Fleming cut Ewing to Chibhabha at backward point for 46, but that did not check the scoring as Craig McMillan joined Vincent. The Board XI were gifted their second wicket, courtesty of a dubious leg before wicket decision by Manny Mhlanga who adjudged Vincent lbw to an Antony Ireland full toss for 66.But by then New Zealand were 143 for 2 and McMillan and Hamish Marshall guided them to victory with 24.5 overs to spare.Zimbabwe limped to a disappointing 193 for 8, and that never challenged a New Zealand side who coasted to victory without breaking sweat. Andre Adams was the pick of the bowlers, taking 1 for 12 off nine overs.

Zaheer Khan scaled a few batting peaks on the third day at Dhaka and broke the world record for the highest score by a No. 11 batsman. Zaheer broke the 31-year-old record that was held by New Zealand’s Richard Collinge, another left-arm fast bowler.

Batsman (Country)	Runs	Opposition	Venue (Year)
Zaheer Khan (Ind)	75	Bangladesh	Dhaka (2004)
Richard Collinge (NZ)	68*	Pakistan	Auckland (1973)
Alfred Vogler (SA)	62*	England	Cape Town (1906)
Glenn McGrath (Aus)	61	New Zealand	Brisbane (2004)
Wasim Bari (Pak)	60*	West Indies	Barbados (1977)
John Snow (Eng)	59*	West Indies	The Oval (1966)
Mushtaq Ahmed (Pak)	59	South Africa	Rawalpindi (1997)
Pat Symcox (SA)	54	Australia	Adelaide (1996)
Rodney Hogg (Aus)	52	West Indies	Georgetown (1984)
Fred Spofforth (Aus)	50	England	Melbourne (1885)
Ghulam Ahmed (Ind)	50	Pakistan	Delhi (1952)

Zaheer also added 133 in an entertaining last-wicket stand with Sachin Tendulkar and they equalled the record for the second-highest partnership in Tests. The following list is the top ten partnerships for the last wicket.

Partners (Country)	Runs	Opposition	Venue (Year)
Richard Collinge and Brian Hastings (NZ)	151	Pakistan	Auckland (1973)
Azhar Mahmood and Mushtaq Ahmed (Pak)	151	South Africa	Rawalpindi (1997)
Wasim Bari and Wasim Raja (Pak)	133	West Indies	Barbados (1977)
Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan (Ind)	133	Bangladesh	Dhaka (2004)
RE Foster and Wilfred Rhodes (Eng)	130	Australia	Sydney (1903)
Kenneth Higgs and John Snow (Eng)	128	West Indies	The Oval (1966)
Arthur Mailey and Johnny Taylor (Aus)	127	England	Sydney (1924)
Stephen Boock and John Bracewell (NZ)	124	Australia	Sydney (1985)
Warwick Armstrong and Reggie Duff (Aus)	120	England	Melbourne (1902)
Nathan Astle and Chris Cairns (NZ)	118	England	Christchurch (2002)
Peter Willey and Bob Willis (End)	117*	West Indies	The Oval (1980)

Simon Jones marks his comeback with the wicket of Brian Lara© Getty Images

Simon Jones was a happy man after capping his comeback with the most prized wicket in the world, as West Indies closed on 311 for 9 on the opening day of the first Test in Jamaica. “It’s great to be back playing Test cricket,” said Jones. “Taking Brian Lara’s wicket was a great feeling. It’s what I’ve been waiting for for the last 16 months.”The wicket was a real confidence booster,” added Jones. “For the first two sessions I was very nervous, but I found my feet, relaxed more and just bowled. Nine wickets on the first day can’t be bad. The boys are happy. We all worked hard and you can’t ask for any more.”Lara was ambivalent about his side’s performance, but was full of praise for West Indies’ centurion, Devon Smith. “It was a see-saw day,” he admitted, “and is probably now evenly-matched. England were on top early on, we rallied, but the way we collapsed at the end was a bit disappointing.”But I’m happy for young Smith. I can see the starting of a long career. He and [Ryan] Hinds showed their quality and proved we have a good batting line up all the way to Ridley Jacobs at No. 7.””My century was a great feeling,” beamed Smith, who attributed his success to the work he had been doing with Sir Garry Sobers. “Someone in the top order had to stick around and I managed to do it. My work with Sir Garry before the game certainly helped me. He improved my technique and concentration, and that helped me today.”

1st one-dayer
A Standard Bank National Academy side completed a 2-0 limited-overs series win over Australia’s Commonwealth Bank Centre of Excellence at the University of Pretoria’s High Performance Centre. In the first match, the South Africans chased down 275 with two wickets to spare while in the second they trumped the tourists by 111 runs.On Sunday, the Australians won the toss and thanks to impressive fifties from Adam Voges (66) and Cullen Bailey (63), finished on 274 for 8 in 50 overs. Voges and Bailey put on 121 for the fourth wicket but following their dismissals the lower order failed to build on the momentum. For the home side, Pepler Sandri was the most successful bowler with 3 for 61. Robert Frylinck and Keegan Africa, both KwaZulu Natal bowlers, finished with two wickets each.In response, the South Africans lost Riel de Kock (7) and Heino Kuhn (4) before Gauteng’s Blake Sniman smashed 60 from 65 balls to wrest the initiative. Farhann Behardien (62) and Corne Linde (54) chipped in to help the hosts over the finish line. For Australia, George Bailey and Ben Edmondson took three wickets a piece.2nd one-dayer
The South Africans chose to bat this time but lost the openers cheaply again to Brett Dorey and Edmondson. Dean Elgar, the East State left-handed batsman, came to the rescue with 77 from 100 balls while Behardien continued his good form with a powerful 112, comprising ten fours and three sixes. South Africa finished on 268 for 8 with Edmondson returning a fine 6 for 32 from his ten overs.In response, Australia could only limp to 157 after Hillroy Paulse’s superb 5 for 28 kept the batsmen in check. Voges (57) was Australia’s top scorer but not even his batting could prevent South Africa from winning the match.The Australians’ next fixture is a four-day match starting on Thursday.

New Zealand have approached Mark O’Donnell, the current Auckland and former Gauteng coach, to help them plot against South Africa in the forthcoming one-day series, according to the .O’Donnell, who coached Gauteng before moving to Auckland last summer, is highly regarded and knows the ins and outs of South Africa’s strengths and weaknesses.Although neither O’Donnell or Lindsay Crocker, the New Zealand manager, have confirmed the news, it is thought to be a done deal.The only delay surrounding the move is thought to be over the board gaining clearance from Auckland. Crocker said, “I’m unable to confirm anything at the moment, but there could be something in a few days.”O’Donnell is already due to join the squad for the three-Test series, which starts in Hamilton on March 10, but was prevented from joining them any earlier because of his commitments to Auckland in the State Championship. His knowledge on the South Africans comes from his time at the national academy, where Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs graduated, and also from his six seasons with Gauteng.New Zealand have used O’Donnell before during the 2003 World Cup, even though they then went against his recommendation in the first match against Sri Lanka by opting to bowl first.Since coming to New Zealand, O’Donnell has an impressive record with Auckland, taking them to the first-class title in his first year, and qualifying top for the domestic one-day final, only to lose to Northern Districts.This season they were beaten in the semi-final of the State Shield by eventual winners Central Districts, and are currently third in the Championship.

Darren Gough has announced his retirement from Test cricket, following his brave but ultimately futile attempt to re-establish himself following a chronic knee injury last year. Gough, who made his Test debut in 1994, finishes with 229 wickets at 28.39, putting him in eighth place on the all-time list of England wicket-takers. He will, however, remain available to represent the England one-day team.”I’ve come to a decision to retire from Test cricket,” said Gough, ” due to the injury sustained playing for England in New Zealand, and three operations later, the subsequent rehab to get back to Test cricket to prove myself and to other people that I could give Test cricket a go one more time.”Every day is a hard one and my career is based on being a strike bowler and being the one the captain always turned to in time of need,” added Gough. “But I’ve found the last two matches hard going both mentally and physically – not just on playing days but also against the backdrop of the effort I’ve put in over the last eight months to get back to this stage. It has become apparent to me, no matter what my heart, head or public want me to do, that my knee will not allow me to play Test Match cricket.”Obviously I’m sad, but I think every player knows when it’s time to step down and I feel in order for me to concentrate on my dream of one-day cricket and possibly another World Cup for England and trying to help Yorkshire move forward, I feel I have to retire from Test cricket.”Thanks to England for giving me the chance to play Test cricket again, thanks to Wayne Morton, Steve Oldham and Scott McCallister for their phenomenal support. Thanks to Colin Graves and Yorkshire CCC and finally the public, I hope they don’t feel that, after 229 Test wickets and a body in bits, I’ve let them down.”I hope I’ve served England well but as you look around there are some very good bowlers all waiting for a chance and good luck to them. I’m a cricket supporter and I will be supporting them.”England’s chairman of selectors, David Graveney, added his tributes. “We respect Darren’s decision to step down from Test cricket. He has been a brilliant talisman for the English team over the past decade. It has been unfortunate that his career has been blighted by injury and I am sure he would have moved higher up the all-time England wicket-taking list if he hadn’t been so unlucky.”He has always given nothing less than 100% for his team and I am sure that he will be missed, but hopefully his form and fitness will still allow him to make a contribution to English cricket by continuing the outstanding form he has shown this summer in the one-day squad.”Tim Lamb, chief executive of the ECB, said, “Darren has given an enormous amount to English cricket and he will be remembered as one of England’s best ever fast bowlers, having been a key member of the Test team since his debut in 1994. Few will forget his hat-trick in Sydney in 1999 or his amazing catch at Lord’s against the West Indies in 2000, which, along with his bowling, helped turn the series England’s way.”To battle back from a serious knee injury to represent England again this summer showed tremendous courage. His talent as a fast bowler, his effervescent character and his huge desire to do well for his country will be sorely missed, not only by the England dressing-room but by cricket supporters everywhere.”

Gough Test Match record – 58 matchesBatting & Fielding I NO Runs HS Ave SR 100 50 Catches86 18 855 65 12.57 43.46 0 2 13BowlingO M Runs Wkts Ave BBI 5 10 SR Econ1970.1 369 6503 229 28.39 6-42 9 0 51.6 3.30England Test Match bowlers (most wickets)1. I.T. Botham 383 wickets2. R.G.D. Willis 3253. F.S. Trueman 3074. D.L. Underwood 2975. J. B. Statham 2526. A. V. Bedser 2367. A.R. Caddick 2348. D. Gough 2299. J. A. Snow 20210. J. C. Laker 193

Adam Hollioake, Surrey’s captain, has admitted that winning the National League and the Twenty20 Cup hasn’t softened the blow of letting the Championship slip away from them.Talking to the website, Hollioake said: “If you measured success by the standard of cricket in all competitions it has been a success. But if you asked the players if they were happy they would say no. The disappointment of losing the Championship is immense because that’s the one we were really after.”He continued: “Logically we’ve played the best cricket we’ve ever played. In three forms of the game: 20-over cricket, 45-over cricket and Championship cricket we’ve played well in all, but I can’t help but feel disappointed not to win the Championship.”While Surrey are used to not having Alec Stewart around for much of the season due to international commitments, they will now have to get used to life without Ian Ward as well. Hollioake described the decisions not to renew their contracts as devastating. “They have been fantastic players over the years and will be impossible to replace,” he said. “We’ve got to find a way to replace them as best we can, but it’s not going to be easy.”Hollioake then emphasised the importance of team-work, and pointed out the emergence of younger players at the club, like Rikki Clarke and Tim Murtagh. “Throughout the year we’ve had good contributions from different players and that is what you need if you’re going to win a competition,” he said. “Rikki and Tim are two inexperienced players who are fast becoming experienced and they have a big future at the club.”

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Brad Williams: took 4 for 115 for WA © Getty Images

A quickfire century by Chris Rogers put Western Australia on course to set Tasmania an imposing final-day run-chase tomorrow at the WACA. WA collected their first Pura Cup points of the summer, but not before some late-order resistance from Tasmania, the competition leaders. In reply to WA’s 437, Tasmania were dismissed for 380 in their first innings, Sean Clingeleffer leading the tail with a patient 79.WA closed on 1 for 231 in their second innings, with a lead of 288. Rogers had made 116 not out, while Murray Goodwin scored an unbeaten 50. Michael Hussey, the stand-in captain, set the pace with a rapid half-century before Rogers blossomed. He reached his hundred off only 119 balls, with a cover-drive for four off Damien Wright. He had smashed 18 fours and a six by the close in a thoroughly entertaining innings.Hussey would have been delighted with the frenetic scoring speed of his team – 211 runs in the final session – but he should be wary about setting a small target on a batting-friendly deck. WA were scorched last month when Justin Langer set New South Wales 303 off 52 overs at the SCG, and Steve Waugh and Simon Katich hauled it in. But Hussey also knows his side needs maximum points to get back into contention in the four-day competition.Earlier in the day, Tasmania’s tail wagged after being 6 for 163 with Wright (65) and Andrew Downton (45) recording their highest Pura Cup scores. Clingeleffer’s 79 was a timely return to form after a barren run – he managed only 28 runs from four previous knocks this summer after averaging just 15 last season. Wright and Clingeleffer frustrated the WA attack, but Ryan Campbell, the wicketkeeper, failed to hold a chance when Clingeleffer was on 33.The pair put on 115 for the seventh wicket before Brad Williams had Wright nudging a sharp catch to Hussey at third slip. Adam Griffith drove Callum Thorp to the cover boundary to pass the follow-on mark before Williams had him caught behind. But the defiant lower-order batting continued, with Clingeleffer and Downton putting on 61 for the ninth wicket. Downton was the last to go, falling to Brad Hogg after Williams just managed to grasp the catch after initially misjudging the ball’s flight.

Vusi Sibanda, the youngest and least experienced of the Zimbabweantourists, had never been out of Southern Africa before. Apart from hishomeland, he has only visited South Africa and Zambia in the past.It was no doubt to everyone else’s surprise as well as his own that he was chosen to tour England this year with the national team. After all, in 20 innings he has only one first-class fifty to his name, but his natural timing of the ball indicates a player of great natural ability.Vusi appears to have taken the new experience in his stride, confessing to few preconceived ideas about England and few surprises. “I was definitely expecting something different [from Zimbabwe],” he says. “The environment is totally different. But nothing surprised me, because I know from back home that England is a well-developed country and it’s well-organised. We don’t have facilities like they do.” When pressed, he mentions ‘the way it is built’ as the most significant difference he has noted.”On the cricket side, their grounds are very nice and well organised, from what I’ve seen so far,” he continues. “We’re quite used to hot weather in Zimbabwe, but here, one minute it’s hot, the other it’s cold, and then it’s raining. It’s very unpredictable.”He laughs, and admits his first introduction to the English weather was’quite shocking’. “It was raining and it was very cold, four degrees! As we drove off from the airport, it was green all over, since it was wet.”The Zimbabwe team travelled to the Crown Plaza in London before leaving in the team coach for Birmingham, where they played their first match against the British Universities. As far as he was aware, none of the English cricket officials had yet met the Zimbabwe team.So far, Vusi’s cricket had been limited to net sessions, without even a middle-wicket practice. He did not play in the Universities match, and neither has he been selected for the second match, against Worcestershire. However, he did not anticipate any problems in coming to terms with English conditions.”The wickets are slower than the ones in Zimbabwe and they’re verygrassy,” he says. “You don’t really need to change your game but just get used to the slower pitches and they don’t bounce as much. These are wickets where you need to work very hard. In Zimbabwe they’re harder. But it’s not going to affect anything and I’ll just take it normally for myself and show that I’m a man.””I hope I’ll have a very good tour," he adds. "I’m expecting to go back home knowing the team has done very well and that I’ve done well for my country as well – since I’m very proud to represent my country. Since it’s my first tour and I’m the youngest in the side, I’m sure I’ll learn from it.”Vusi is also a useful medium-pace bowler, but may well not get his hands on the ball very often with so many in the team who can bowl. He does not anticipate having to make any changes to his bowling approach in English conditions.Vusi’s selection was widely criticised in Zimbabwe, as he has so little by way of performance at first-class level to recommend him. But all those with the good of Zimbabwe cricket at heart will he hoping this tour will be the making of him.He is on a steep learning curve, but he has the ability to succeed. This tour will test his mental approach and his ability to learn, a prerequisite for that success.