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Fleming is set to beat Arjuna Ranatunga’s one-day record

Stephen Fleming has set his sights on lifting the World Cup before ending his long tenure as New Zealand skipper.

He will set a new record on Wednesday when he leads them for the 194th time in a one-day international.

And the game against Pakistan in Mohali will decide whether the Kiwis reach the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy, a tournament they won in 2000.

But Fleming is already thinking about next year’s World Cup and admitted he has a “burning ambition” to win it.

“The biggest worry for us is that we have been inconsistent in big tournaments.

“I think we are a side that gets a bit comfortable once it has won a game,” the 33-year-old commented.

That view has been born out at the Champions Trophy with the Kiwis beating South Africa in their opening game and then losing to Sri Lanka after under-performing with the bat.

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Ominous: Muttiah Muralitharan was back at his best, for the first time in the tournament © Getty Images

Sri Lanka, led by Upul Tharanga with the bat and Muttiah Muralitharan with the ball, rebounded emphatically from their opening game defeat to fairly thump New Zealand by seven wickets at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. In the process, Group B is now deliciously open with three teams having registered a win.

No deception lay in the margin of victory. New Zealand were strangely flat through the day, despite welcoming back Scott Styris and Shane Bond and also winning the toss. Murali emerging from the mild slumber that has thus far held him hardly helped them. He finished with 4 for 23 from ten artful, often bewitching overs, ensuring that Stephen Fleming, who had won the toss and chosen to bat, would ultimately regret the decision as New Zealand lumbered apathetically to 165.

Murali had only picked up four wickets in four matches previous to this and he didn’t arrive till the 26th over. Admittedly, by then the Sri Lankan pacemen had already completed half the job after neither side initially appeared sure how the pitch would play. An adhesive had been used to hold it together and sniffing glue, after all, is said to have uncertain side effects. It resembled a mid-90s Sharjah belter, shiny and showing the merest hint of reflection, and eventually it played like one.

In keeping with Sri Lanka’s recent generosity with extras, Chaminda Vaas, Lasith Malinga and Fervez Maharoof all began shabbily. Vaas served up three wides first and then three no-balls. Finally, he found his bearings in the fifth over, trapping a scoreless Fleming with one that swooned in instead of darting out. Gradually, they figured out the pitch; keep it straight and wait. With Kumar Sangakkara standing up to Maharoof and Vaas, this was the famed strangle, only with pacers rather than spinners.

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Ross Taylor, the Central Districts batsman, will fly to India on Saturday to join New Zealand’s Champions Trophy squad if Scott Styris is forced to return home due to a recurrence of a back injury. Styris, who missed the first game against South Africa, has been ruled out of New Zealand’s second game against Sri Lanka along with Shane Bond who hasn’t recovered from a back strain.

Styris had injured his back while playing for Middlesex and returned to New Zealand mid-way through the 2006 county season. He was passed fit for the Champions Trophy after months of rehabilitation but the injury recurred during a training session in Mumbai. “Scott has had a recurrence of a back strain. We want to give Scott every opportunity to remain in the squad and play later in the tournament,” said Lindsay Crocker, New Zealand’s manager, “In the meantime Ross will take the time to acclimatise and prepare should he be required.”

Taylor made his debut against West Indies in March. A hard-hitting batsman, he managed 46 runs in two innings and was considered unlucky not to be in the initial Champions Trophy squad after a prolific 2005-06 season in which he averaged 59 with three hundreds and three fifties in 13 List A innings.

Also see Champions Trophy, 2006.

Stephen Fleming waged a lone battle for New Zealand

The trend of low scores and poor pitches continued at the Champions Trophy, as New Zealand crushed South Africa by 87 runs at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai. In conditions where batting was an onerous task, Stephen Fleming played an outstanding knock for the second time in a major one-day competition against South Africa. In the World Cup, he had creamed 134 effortless runs; here, his 89 was the difference between the two sides, enabling New Zealand to mount 195. His opposite number for South Africa, Graeme Smith, was the second-highest score with 42 - but none of the other batsmen had much of a clue.

The pitch was a different one to what had been used a couple of days back when West Indies were mauled by Sri Lanka, but the result wasn’t much different. Early on it offered more pace and bounce than the track on which West Indies got rolled over, but as the day wore on strokeplay became increasingly tougher, especially against the older ball. By the time South Africa were midway into their innings, there was a puff of dust every time the ball landed on the turf, and the abrasive nature of the pitch made the ball grip the surface - it was all far too much for the South African batsmen, and for most of the New Zealanders as well.

The one batsman who conquered these tough conditions was Fleming. At the start, when strokeplay was relatively easier, he executed some crisp strokes, flicking wide off mid-on with characteristic flair and cutting and driving with panache on the off side. He played and missed more than once early on, but when wickets fell regularly at the other end, he cut out the risks and ensured that he stayed through most of the innings.

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South African fast bowler Makhaya Ntini took five for 35 to dismiss New Zealand for 119 on the first day of the third and final Test on Friday.

Captain Graeme Smith then scored 63 and Hashim Amla 56 to take the home side to 133 for four before play was halted by bad light 13 overs early.

Stephen Fleming’s 46 was New Zealand’s top score and the 55 he shared with Nathan Astle for the fourth wicket was the visitors’ best partnership.

Four New Zealanders were dismissed without scoring. Paceman Dale Steyn took three for 43.

South Africa lead the series 1-0 after Ntini took 10 wickets in a 128-run first Test win.

New Zealand lost their first three wickets with just two runs on the board. Ntini had Jamie How caught by AB de Villiers at third slip with the eighth ball of the match.

New Zealand had yet to score their first run four overs later when Michael Papps edged a jagging inswinger from Ntini on to his stumps.

The visitors needed 33 deliveries to move off the mark and they did so when Fleming drove Steyn down the ground for two.

Those were the only runs on the board when Scott Styris edged a delivery from Ntini and was spectacularly caught by De Villiers diving to his left at third slip. (more…)

On a day of firsts at Cape Town, New Zealand maintained their supremacy but were left looking towards the heavens as the weather threatened to ruin their chances of squaring the series. After James Franklin had reached his maiden Test century, Jeetan Patel opened his Test-wicket tally with two scalps. However, Hashim Amla marked his return to the Test arena with a hardworking first fifty as he guided South Africa’s pursuit of the follow-on target of 394.

Faced with a huge total - and a follow-on target of 394 - Graeme Smith and Boeta Dippenaar had made steady progress against the new ball after New Zealand extended their innings for 13 overs. Patel and Daniel Vettori were in action by the 13th over of South Africa’s reply, and both found appreciable assistance, with Vettori ripping deliveries past the edges of all the right-handers.

Patel, though, was something of a surprise package. He has produced some promising performances in one-day internationals but a career average of over 41 in first-class cricket would not send shudders through a batting line-up. However, he made an immediate mark when Stephen Fleming threw him the ball flighting a full delivery to Smith, who tried to work it to the onside, but could only spoon it back to the bowler. Smith stood his ground, believing it to be a bump ball, but the TV evidence was clear and he was on his way. (more…)

A career best performance by Kyle Mills saw South Africa in trouble on 266 for eight wickets at close of play on the first day of the first Castle Lager Test against New Zealand at Supersport Park on Saturday.

Graeme Smith won the toss and decided to bat first on a pitch that appeared to offer something to the bowlers. South Africa had made some changes to the batting order, with Herschelle Gibbs opening the batting with Smith and AB de Villiers moving down the order to six.

Gibbs went out early when he played on to a delivery from Kyle Mills in the sixth over of the day.

Smith won the toss

Graeme Smith and Boeta Dippenaar put on 79 runs for the second wicket before Smith was given out leg before wicket to James Franklin for 45 shortly after lunch.

Jacques Kallis, playing in his 100th Test - 99 for South Africa and one for the World Eleven - faced just two balls before he called for medical assistance, apparently after jarring his troublesome elbow. He was given a painkilling injection on the field, and continued with his innings.

Dippenaar reached his seventh Test half century off 95 balls, including 10 balls, with a magnificent straight drive to the boundary off Mills, but the very next ball Dippenaar tried to hook the ball, which went straight to Peter Fulton at square leg.

Ashwell Prince lasted 35 minutes before he was caught by Scott Styris off Mills for nine.

South Africa went to tea on 153 for four, but things really fell apart after tea, with another four wickets falling for the addition of 113 runs. (more…)

SOUTH Africa won the toss and decided to bat in the first Test against New Zealand at Centurion Park today.

South African captain Graeme Smith declared himself fit despite still suffering pain from the left ring finger injury which kept him out of the third and final Test against Australia earlier this month.

But New Zealand was without fast bowler Shane Bond because of a knee injury.

South Africa, which lost all three home Tests against Australia, dropped middle order batsman Jacques Rudolph and reshuffled the batting order, Smith opening alongside Herschelle Gibbs.

Boeta Dippenaar was at number three and AB de Villiers moved from the opening slot to the middle order.

Fast bowler Andre Nel, who has struggled with a foot injury and who could not bowl Friday after falling on his shoulder, was replaced by Dale Steyn.

New Zealand all-rounder Jacob Oram returned for his first Test since November 2004 while swing bowler Kyle Mills replaced Bond, who suffered a recurrence of a knee injury during a warm-up match against the Rest of South Africa last weekend.

New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming and South Africans Shaun Pollock and Jacques Kallis were playing in their 100th Test. Kallis played one of his Tests for the World XI against Australia last October.

Teams:

SOUTH AFRICA: Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, Boeta Dippenaar, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Nicky Boje, Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn.

NEW ZEALAND: Stephen Fleming (capt), Hamish Marshall, Peter Fulton, Scott Styris, Nathan Astle, Jacob Oram, Brendon McCullum, Daniel Vettori, James Franklin, Kyle Mills, Chris Martin.

See also New Zealand vs South Africa, 2006.

Jacques Kallis and Stephen Fleming could mark their 100th cricket Tests by leading South Africa and New Zealand in the series-opener on Saturday.

The match will also be the 100th for South Africa bowler Shaun Pollock.

Whether Kallis captains the home side will depend on if regular skipper Graeme Smith passes a final fitness Test today on his injured ring finger. Smith batted in the nets yesterday and was in some discomfort, but team physio Shane Jabbar was encouraged.

“We will treat the finger some more, and then we’ll take a final decision tomorrow,” Jabbar said.

Kallis hoped Smith came through, and helped to make his latest milestone match all the more special.

“When you play in your first test, you never really think about playing in a hundred,” Kallis said. “But it is an honour and a privilege, and it will be something to remember in the future. But I won’t be expecting any favours from the opposition because it’s my hundredth test.”

Asked for career highlights, he listed his debut against England in December 1995, his first Test century against Australia two years later, and the friends he’s made among teammates and opponents.

“I have also had the opportunity to travel the world–what guy at 30 has been to some of the places I’ve been to? And I get paid for something I love doing.” (more…)

Sri Lanka held their nerve, backed up a competent batting performance with a canny one on the field and, despite a silken innings from Peter Fulton, won by 20 runs. This means Sri Lanka have a consolation victory to take away in this split series that went 4-1 in New Zealand’s favour.

If Sri Lanka were happy with the score they put on the board, it was only because of the dismal run they have endured, for 300 was definitely on the cards had one of their batsmen spent enough time at the crease to convert a valuable fifty into an invaluable 100. Once again Sri Lanka’s openers gave them a brisk start, but it was at the cost of wickets. From 49 for 2 the usually aggressive middle-order was left with no choice but to sacrifice strokeplay and concentrate on consolidation. (more…)

Veteran medium pacer Chaminda Vaas took five wickets as Sri Lanka held New Zealand to 224-9, batting first in the fourth limited-overs cricket international Friday.

Vaas transfixed the New Zealand batsmen with subtle changes of pace on a flat wicket at WestpacTrust Stadium, taking 5-38 from an intelligent 10-over spell as New Zealand’s rare decision to bat on winning the toss went awry.

New Zealand has only batted first four times in its last six home seasons, almost always preferring to chase runs, and its departure from that policy Friday was an immediate and glaring failure.

Rookie Peter Fulton and struggling middle order star Hamish Marshall made half-centuries, though both were out within a few balls of doing so, but New Zealand’s inning wilted after a sound start.

See also New Zealand vs Sri Lanka, 2006.

Newcomers Jamie How and Peter Fulton shared a 95-run partnership to guide New Zealand to a seven-wicket win over Sri Lanka today in the resumption of a limited-overs cricket series interrupted by last year’s tsunami.

How and Fulton recorded their first limited-overs half-centuries as New Zealand overhauled Sri Lanka’s modest total of 164 with only three wickets down and almost 13 overs to spare, scoring 166-3.

How, a squat opening bat with a wide repertoire of shots, made 58, the second-highest score by a New Zealander on one-day debut, while Fulton, in his second one-day international, made a fluent, unbeaten 70.

Both players brought up their half-centuries with sixes. How’s came in 114 minutes, from 83 balls with five fours and a six off Lasith Malinga.

Fulton was also quick, in 77 minutes from 56 balls, with seven boundaries. He also raised his half-century with a six over mid-wicket. (more…)

Super-sub Nathan Astle found form in a crisis today, scoring an unbeaten 90 to lead New Zealand to a five-wicket win over Sri Lanka and to a 3-0 edge in their five-match limited-overs cricket series.

Astle was dropped from the New Zealand team prior to the series after an extended run of poor form. But he was recalled when captain Stephen Fleming pulled out of matches on Saturday and today to be with his wife for the birth of their first child.

The veteran right-hander made little of his reprieve in the second match of the series, contributing only two runs to New Zealand’s seven-wicket win, but was their anchor today as they sewed up a series that began more than a year ago.

The first match was played on December 26, 2004, the day an earthquake-generated tsunami struck Sri Lanka, devastating coastal towns and villages and leaving an estimated 40,000 people dead.

The Sri Lankan team, some of whom lost friends and relatives in the disaster, returned home to comfort families and to help their ravaged nation rebuild. (more…)

Sri Lanka captain Marvan Atapattu offered no excuses following his side’s defeat by New Zealand in Queenstown.

They lost by seven wickets after being bowled out for just 164 in the first of four one-day internationals.

Atapattu said the conditions were not to blame, adding: “Once you got it, it was a beautiful wicket to bat on.

“The ones who are getting runs aren’t getting enough and those who aren’t getting runs are not getting anything at all.” (more…)

When he steps out to play against Sri Lanka in Queenstown on Saturday, Shane Bond will unbelievably be playing his first international match in New Zealand in nearly three years. Bond last turned out in a home one-day against India in January 2003, immediately prior to the World Cup. His last home Test was against the same opponents the previous month.

In a four-year career plagued by injury, Bond has played only three of his 36 ODIs and five of 12 Tests at home. And as he revealed in an interview with the New Zealand Herald, understandably, he is raring to go against the Sri Lankans.

“The goal for me now is to get over this hurdle of playing another game at home, which has been a bit of a bogey.

“So my first target is Queenstown, the next is Christchurch and, once I’ve got that monkey off my back, I should be match hardened and ready for the West Indies series next month.” (more…)