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New Zealand’s lack of consistency in recent years in its one-day cricket has been behind its mid-table placing on the world rankings, but increasingly there are signs of a change for the better.Apart from anything else, Sunday’s record victory over Pakistan in Sri Lanka ended the rot of seven losses in a row to Pakistan.Pakistan’s dismissal for 116, its lowest against New Zealand and 19 runs worse than their 135 scored at Napier in 2000/01, was the fifth time New Zealand has bowled out a side for less than 125 in the last five months, and in little over two years, New Zealand has 10 times dismissed sides for 135 or less.Nine of these scores have been lodged by subcontinental sides, India suffering on six occasions – four in the recent series in New Zealand. All four instances not to take place on New Zealand soil occurred in Sri Lanka.The list is:

77 Bangladesh Colombo (SSC) 2002/0389 England Wellington (WS) 2001/02108 India Auckland 2002/03108 India Christchurch 2002/03116 Pakistan Dambulla 2003122 India Queenstown 2002/03122 India Hamilton 2002/03127 India Colombo (RPS) 2001133 India Colombo (RPS) 2001135 Pakistan Napier 2000/01

Pakistan’s total was the eighth equal lowest score against New Zealand by any side.Top 10 lowest scores v New Zealand:

70 Australia Adelaide 1985/8677 Bangladesh Colombo (SSC) 2002/0389 England Wellington (WS) 2001/02108 India Auckland 2002/03108 India Christchurch 2002/03113 India Perth 1985/86115 Sri Lanka Colombo (PSS) 1983/84116 Bangladesh Chelmsford 1999116 Pakistan Dambulla 2003118/9 Sri Lanka Dunedin 1982/83

New Zealand’s latest position on the ICC One-Day International Championship is sixth, an improvement of two places since its inception in October. It has moved ahead of the West Indies and now sits behind Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India.Their climb up the ladder is the best by any side in the first six months of the Championship, rising nine points and two places.The Championship standings as at the end of New Zealand’s first match in the Bank Alfalah Cup in Dambulla are:

Team Matches Points Rating Change1 Australia 46 6269 136 +8 (n/c)2 South Africa 57 6972 122 +2 (n/c)3 Pakistan 51 5675 111 -4 (up 1)4 Sri Lanka 61 6413 105 -12 (down 1)5 India 58 6047 104 -2 (n/c)6 New Zealand 46 4594 100 +9 (up 2)7 West Indies 35 3463 99 +5 (n/c)8 England 34 3337 98 +2 (down 2)9 Zimbabwe 44 2844 65 -2 (n/c)10 Kenya 25 704 28 +6 (n/c)11 Bangladesh 23 101 4 -7 (n/c)

When the New Zealanders had Pakistan reeling at 17 for five wickets, it was the fifth equal worst start by any side in an ODI (for five wickets down). New Zealand’s previous best effort with the ball was having Bangladesh 19 for five in the ICC Champions Trophy last year.The record of teams having fewer than 20 runs and being 5 wickets down:

start total12/5 71 Pakistan v West Indies Brisbane 1992/9312/5 36 Canada v Sri Lanka Paarl 2002/0314/5 81 Pakistan v West Indies Sydney 1992/9314/5 43 Pakistan v West Indies Cape Town 1992/9317/5 266/8 India v Zimbabwe Tunbridge Wells 198317/5 84 Kenya v Australia Nairobi (Gym) 2002/0317/5 84 Namibia v Pakistan Kimberley 2002/0317/5 116 Pakistan v New Zealand Dambulla 200318/5 153 Pakistan v South Africa Colombo (SSC) 2000/0118/5 115/9 New Zealand v Sri Lanka Colombo (SSC) 200119/5 167 Scotland v Pakistan Chester-le-Street 199919/5 77 Bangladesh v New Zealand Colombo (SSC) 2002/03

Note: India v Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells was a 60-over match and New Zealand v Sri Lanka at Colombo (SSC) was reduced to 36 overs per side.Five of them have occurred in the last eight months while three have been at the same ground, the Sinhalese Sports Club in Colombo. Pakistan have proven particularly vulnerable to the spectacular collapse, having been involved in five of the nine worst collapses – three of which took place in the space of 16 matches and 71 days during the 1992/93 season.The game also resulted in Daryl Tuffey’s latest instance of a wicket in his first over, the 17th time he has achieved the feat in internationals, and the 10th time in an ODI.His record now reads:

Tests: Inn Over BallMarcus Trescothick 1 1 2 v England at Auckland, 1 Apr 2002 (W)Mark Butcher 1 1 5 v England at Auckland, 1 Apr 2002 (W)Shahid Afridi 1 1 3 v Pakistan at Lahore, 1 May 2002 (L)Virender Sehwag 1 2 6 v India at Wellington, 12 Dec 2002 (W)Sanjay Bangar 1 2 3 v India at Hamilton, 20 Dec 2002 (W)Parthiv Patel 2 2 6 v India at Hamilton, 21 Dec 2002 (W)Marvan Atapattu 1 1 4 v Sri Lanka at Colombo, 26 Apr 2003 (D)ODIs: Inn Over BallSaeed Anwar 1 1 1 v Pakistan at Napier, 20 Feb 2001 (W)Saeed Anwar 2 1 6 v Pakistan at Christchurch, 25 Feb 2001 (W)Marvan Atapattu 1 1 2 v Sri Lanka at Sharjah, 10 Apr 2001 (L)Kumar Sangakkara 1 1 3 v Sri Lanka at Sharjah, 10 Apr 2001 (L)Marcus Trescothick 1 1 3 v England at Auckland, 23 Feb 2002 (L)Sanath Jayasuriya 1 1 3 v Sri Lanka at Sharjah, 14 Apr 2002 (L)Imran Nazir 2 1 1 v Pakistan at Rawalpindi, 24 Apr 2002 (L)Sourav Ganguly 2 1 3 v India at Napier, 29 Dec 2002 (W)Sourav Ganguly 2 1 1 v India at Wellington, 8 Jan 2003 (L)Mohammad Hafeez 1 1 4 v Pakistan at Dambulla, 11 May 2003 (W)

Note: Inn = innings of opposition for Test list, innings of the match for ODI list; Over = over of the inningsAnd while Shane Bond may be out of the tournament due to a suspected stress fracture in his back, he did have time to claim his 50th wicket in his 27th ODI, the fastest first 50 wickets taken by a New Zealander and seventh equal on the world list.New Zealand:

Mat Wkts BB AveShane Bond 27 51 6/23 19.00 2001/02 to 2003Geoff Allott 28 50 4/35 21.34 1996/97 to 2000/01Chris Pringle 33 52 4/35 22.88 1990 to 1993/94Ewen Chatfield 36 50 5/34 24.10 1979 to 1983Danny Morrison 36 50 4/33 29.98 1987/88 to 1990/91Martin Snedden 41 50 3/25 30.38 1980/81 to 1984/85Lance Cairns 43 50 5/28 31.18 1973/74 to 1982/83Daryl Tuffey 43 50 4/24 29.16 2000/01 to 2002/03Richard Hadlee 46 52 5/26 26.61 1972/73 to 1982/83Willie Watson 47 50 3/15 33.70 1985/86 to 1991/92Chris Harris 48 50 3/15 30.10 1990/91 to 1994/95Scott Styris 51 51 6/25 34.01 1999/00 to 2002/03Chris Cairns 52 51 4/55 32.84 1990/91 to 1996/97Daniel Vettori 55 51 4/24 35.17 1996/97 to 2000/01Gavin Larsen 66 50 4/24 43.78 1989/90 to 1995/96Dion Nash 66 50 4/38 44.48 1992/93 to 1999Nathan Astle 74 50 4/43 33.34 1994/95 to 1998/99Jeremy Coney 84 50 4/46 38.26 1979 to 1986

All time:

Team Mat Wkts BB AveAjit Agarkar India 23 50 4/35 21.34 1997/98 to 1998/99Dennis Lillee Australia 24 50 5/34 17.30 1972 to 1980/81Shane Warne Australia 25 51 4/19 16.43 1992/93 to 1994/95Len Pascoe Australia 26 50 5/30 19.57 1977 to 1981/82Patrick Patterson West Indies 26 51 6/29 19.45 1985/86 to 1987/88Curtly Ambrose West Indies 26 51 5/17 17.03 1987/88 to 1989/90Waqar Younis Pakistan 27 53 6/26 14.96 1989/90 to 1990/91Shane Bond New Zealand 27 51 6/23 19.00 2001/02 to 2003

Note: The figures given are those at the end of the match concerned(Statistics compiled by Duane Pettet)

Somerset all rounder Ian Blackwell has spent the last few days at Melbourne Cricket Ground where he saw England eventually lose the fourth Ashes Test.However the Aussies didn’t have it all their way. Before they scored the winning runs `Blackwell’s west country county colleague Andy Caddick reminded his critics just what a class act he is by taking three wickets, including two in one over to raise everyone’s spirits.The former Derbyshire player who has made a considerable impact for England in the triangular one day series told me: "There was a fantastic atmosphere at Melbourne with over 72000 people inside the ground on Boxing Day. I was there to help to swell the Barmy Army and chant for England!"With Craig White joining England’s walking wounded `Blackie’ has been suggested by many informed observers as the likely replacement so I asked him how he read the situation.He told me: " As for Sydney, I’m in the frame but I had a precautionary scan on my left knee where it turns out I have aggravated a sheath which runs alongside the knee tendon, a form of tendonitis. Hopefully a few days rest should help but I’m not sure what the hierarchy will say. Your guess is as good as mine at the moment, so it’s fingers crossed!".He continued: "They may want me to rest for the one dayers that start again on January 13th and then the World Cup coming up with the squad announced on the 31st which I hope to be included in."`Blackie’ concluded: "I would like to wish everybody back at home in the west country a very Happy New Year."

A cavalier 151 by Corey Richards helped NSW scrape into Sunday week’s ING Cup final after a nailbiting win over Western Australia at the WACA ground tonight.The Blues held off the Warriors late batting charge to win by three runs with quick Shawn Bradstreet (2-39) the hero having tail-ender Michael Clark (7) caught behind with just three balls left.It continues the Blues’ recent dominance over the Warriors, winning their last three matches by the slimmest of margins, including last year’s ING Cup final at the WACA ground.But a nervous NSW brigade appeared to be cracking under pressure with some sloppy bowling and fielding in the final overs as the run chase climaxed.And despite an excellent knock from allrounder Brad Hogg (39no) for the home side, he ran out of partners in the end.It was the Warriors who eventually folded under the pressure with their last four wickets going for 29 runs.Richards earlier rode his luck being put down three times as he registered the fifth highest innings in domestic one-day cricket off 147 balls.He guided the Blues to 9-267 off their 50 overs but the Warriors made 264 in reply.NSW will play the winner of the match between South Australia and Queensland in Adelaide this Sunday.Richards’ glorious innings overshadowed big Jo Angel’s (3-53) record-breaking feats as the West Australian quick became the leading wicket-taker in domesticone-day cricket.But it was a bittersweet evening for the veteran as he watched his state’s outside chances of making the final slip away.Angel moved past former teammate Tom Moody’s mark of 70 wickets when he had a scratchy Michael Bevan (40) caught at mid-on by Clark.But it was the dropped catch by Kade Harvey from a full-blooded cover drive when Richards was on 68 that came back to haunt the Warriors.Richards seemed to edge his way towards his ton before accelerating the innings after key batsman Michael Clarke (18) and Shane Lee (2) fell in one Brad Williams over.In reply, wicketkeeper Ryan Campbell lived dangerously before Mark Higgs had him caught by Bevan for a quickfire (42) to leave the Warriors at 1-71 inthe 14th over.Chris Rogers (28) followed just three runs later when quick Stuart Clark (1-35) had him caught behind by Brad Haddin.But it was when skipper Simon Katich (18) was caught behind off Bradstreet that the home team looked in deep trouble at 3-109 in the 22nd over.Michael Hussey revived the innings with a dashing 45 which included a $200,000 sweep shot which hit the sponsor’s sign at square leg.The 26-year-old, who is expected to keep $80,000 of the bounty and share the rest with teammates, could only manage another 14 runs after the money shot.But a fifty-run partnership between Hogg and Harvey (29) for the seventh wicket put the heat back on the Blues.

The fun starts at 5.00pm on Sunday 4th November and tickets are available at reception at the County Ground, Nevil Road, Bristol.

After the week that has just been I am not sure where to begin!Firstly losing a game we should have won in Hobart was pretty disappointing and we didn’t have much time to think about that as we had to play in Sydney two days later.When we turned up for the match we were all so looking forward to it as we hardly ever get to play at the SCG and it is one of the best cricket grounds in the world.The nets were available for us prior to the start of play so a few of us utilised this and this was where Flem [captain Stephen Fleming] was struck on the arm by a ball from Dion Nash. He immediately retired to the dressing room and we didn’t really think too much about it but when Dayle Shackel our team physio came running back out to talk to Denis Aberhart we all knew something was up.I was asked to accompany them in straight away where Flem told me he might not be right and did I want to take the captaincy?I had to think about that for a quarter of a second before saying, ‘Of course!’I have captained at junior levels but obviously that was a few years ago!Flem said that there may be a chance he could still play if the X-ray showed no break and he would phone us from the hospital before the toss.He phoned me five minutes before the toss and said that he couldn’t make it back in time and that the arm was too sore. He wished me luck and said to go with my gut feel on the field.I won the toss and it was Flem’s decision that we were going to bat anyway so I was off to a good start, mind you after watching the Aussie bowlers for the first hour and how Lou Vincent and Mark Richardson struggled I was beginning to wonder if I had done the right thing.We managed to post a competitive 235 and I thought early on in our innings that 200 would be competitive. Again early wickets got us under way in the field and as the night drew in and the lights began to take effect the atmosphere was just electric.As we kept taking wickets we knew that we could keep the pressure on but at about the 35-over mark a message came out to me that we were five overs behind the over rate and we had to speed up. I had completely forgotten that we had three and a half hours to bowl our overs so we needed to push it along.When I had Michael Bevan caught at slip I felt the game was ours.I brought back Jimmy Franklin to bowl and so many people have said to me at the time they were wondering if that was a good thing. As it turned out it was but the reason for it was Jimmy for someone so young has a brilliant temperament and remains unflustered about things in general and at that specific time that was what was required.The ball was also swinging and I thought he would be a real chance to swing it back in and maybe get a couple of wickets. He responded brilliantly and for that experience in that environment will be a better player for it.Sydney was a great win but again we were on the road playing in two days time in Brisbane.South Africa have been our nemesis over the past year or so and we were so determined to get a win. After their powerful start our bowlers pulled the scoring back by taking wickets.This is where Shane Bond has been a revelation for the CLEAR Black Caps. His pace brings a wicket-taking option to Flem and that is the best way to stop the run rate.After dismissing them for 241 we were very happy but in return when we were 90/5 it was looking like the same old story against SA. With my good mate Harry [Chris Harris], who had made a quick dash home then back to be with us, we both said it was a case of trying to get some momentum going and to be patient and wait until the 40th over to see what we needed.Even though he got out Adam Parore and I stuck to the same plan and with 75 needed it was now game on. I was trying to pick a boundary up early then take singles to keep to the run rate required and not look to exceed that by doing something stupid.We kept picking boundaries up and when I lofted Jacques Kallis for six in the 49th over I knew it was ours.It was very special to get a hundred in the last over but even more special to score a hundred and win the game and break our drought over SA.There were jubilant scenes in the dressing room after with everyone ecstatic about the win.The first half of the competition sees us nicely placed to make the finals, we now have a week off and I am really looking forward to that, a chance to freshen up and get ready for the double-header in Adelaide next weekend.

New Zealand’s selectors, tired of potential being unrealised in One-Day Internationals, have thrown down the gauntlet to players wanting to be part of the 2003 World Cup campaign today.Only 12 players have been named for the one-day side to Pakistan, with two more to be added by the end of the month.The 12 selected were:Stephen Fleming (c) (Wellington), Nathan Astle (Canterbury), James Franklin (Wellington), Chris Harris (Canterbury), Craig McMillan (Canterbury), Kyle Mills (Auckland), Dion Nash (Auckland), Jacob Oram (Central Districts), Mathew Sinclair (Central Districts), Daryl Tuffey (Northern Districts), Daniel Vettori (Northern Districts) and Lou Vincent (Auckland).Notable absences from the side are wicket-keeper Adam Parore and off-spinner Grant Bradburn.They have not been excluded from consideration but if players with the New Zealand A team in India for the Buchi Babu tournament can come up with the required performances, Parore and Bradburn may be left out.Selection chairman Sir Richard Hadlee said, “We are not happy with the team and individual performances in Sri Lanka. We were in a position to win at least four games, and possibly five.”We expect more from our senior players.”If performances were not forthcoming in the near future some players may want to rethink their futures in the game, he added.Hadlee said Parore was without doubt New Zealand’s best ‘keeper and had given tremendous value to New Zealand over the last 10 or 11 years, but it was necessary to start looking ahead.The selectors also had to look at his workload.”He has been remarkably injury free over all that time and we can’t expect him to play in every one-day game, in every Test match and in every tour game.”He has got to have some breaks.”Disappointed as he may be, we have got to look after his career longevity,” Hadlee said.Holding two positions open added more sting to the performances of the A team and would allow for a fine tuning of the balance of the side.Hadlee said that incoming coach Denis Aberhart would have a game plan that he wanted to employ and the selectors would be looking to select a team to fulfil that plan.Aberhart reiterated the comments of previous coaches that it was up to individuals to provide the performances and he would be looking to work with them to achieve that.Having the killer instinct was about desire and having the mental attitude to compete.”Some are born with it, some aren’t. I want to make sure that everyone buys into it,” he said.Hadlee said there was concern about the failure to develop a bowling strategy at the death in games.The selectors had indicated their thoughts on that to the team management and have said that they would like to see Tuffey, especially, bowl more often at the death.”A key focus for us is the World Cup in 2003. We want to be fully prepared for that and the ideal situation for us would be to have 20-25 players to select from.”There are enough One-Day Internationals and tournaments over the next 18 months for us to look at various combinations. We want to have pressure for places because if there is competition the level of play will increase,” he said.”The players should make it as easy as possible for us by performing,” he said.Hadlee said the call was tough on Bradburn and was not necessarily a reflection on his performance in Sri Lanka as he had only bowled two overs in the one game he played. The selectors wanted to reconsider the composition of the side, he said.The retention of Franklin, who did not get a game at all in Sri Lanka, was to provide the option of a left-arm pace bowler to the tour selectors.There was no clear indication on what would happen at the top of the order as much would depend on the two players called into the team.If Chris Nevin could show the sort of form the selectors were looking for, especially with the bat, then he was likely to be the preferred choice.There was still the option of continuing to open with Sinclair, who had scored two centuries in Sharjah earlier in the year.Hadlee said there had also been an indication from captain Fleming that Vincent might be considered as an opening choice.Selector Brian McKechnie said New Zealand’s most successful ODI batsman Astle was a player who thrived on being able to keep the strike and other players used had not been able to get it to him often enough.

Test right-hander Younis Khan hit a fine century to salvage HabibBank’s tarnished image as PIA neared a certain victory on the secondday of the Patron’s Trophy National Cricket Championship Grade-I matchat Gaddafi Stadium Thursday.After PIA had taken a substantial lead of 242, Habib Bank, who made apaltry 27 in their first innings Wednesday, gave a much improvedperformance in their second outing to reach 298 for nine. Younisbatted patiently for 263 minutes in making 117 until he was eighth outat 293 to end a dogged partnership of 78 with skipper Akram Raza. His160-ball innings was spiced with 17 fours.There was only one other significant partnership in the innings.Shahid Afridi, batting down the order, caned 51 off 39 deliveries inhis familiar whirlwind style of batsmanship while adding 82 withYounis. Akram Raza is holding the fort with a defiant unbeaten 47 off54 deliveries. He has so far hit six boundaries.Fazl-e-Akbar, who claimed four wickets in four balls on his way toseven for 13 Wednesday, once proved Habib Bank’s main destroyer withfive wickets. But his 21.5 overs cost 115 runs.Test all-rounder Abdur Razzaq the other main wicket-taker in thesecond innings with a return of three for 102 in 22 overs. Wasim Akramwas yet to turn his arm over in the second innings. Earlier, PIA’slast three wickets added 47 to the overnight score of 269. Moin Khanfell after adding two more to his 19 while Wasim Akram also perishedfor 23 after resuming on 17. Mohammad Zahid and Fazl-e-Akbar shared alast wicket stand worth 38 before the latter was caught off ShahidAfridi for 15. Zahid returned with 18 to his name.

The St George’s Park pitch in Port Elizabeth, on which Australia have twice come from behind to achieve victory in low-scoring matches against England and New Zealand, is to be re-examined ahead of next Tuesday’s ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal at that stadium.Hilbert Smit, Chairman of the SA Cricket Groundsman’s Association, and Brian Basson, the UCB/CWC Director of Cricket Operations, will travel to Port Elizabeth tomorrow (Wednesday) to oversee preparations for the March 18 semifinal.Prof Neil Tainton, a world-renowned Grassland Scientist and pitch consultant to CWC 2003, will not go immediately to Port Elizabeth but will play a role in association with his two colleagues in ensuring, in the words of CWC 2003 Executive Director, Dr Ali Bacher, that the St George’s Park wicket is “conducive to great one-day international cricket” for the semifinal.After a 96-run victory over New Zealand today, Australian captain Ricky Ponting said the pitch was a better one than that for the England match nine days ago, although he seemed concerned about early dampness in the wicket.After Australia’s two wicket victory over England on March 2, Dr Bacher instructed Smit to travel from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth to seek an improvement. Smit went there the next day and helped produce what Ponting now described as an improvement.Dr Bacher said the decision to ask Smit and Basson to revisit Port Elizabeth should not be seen as criticism of the Eastern Province Cricket Board or its groundstaff.”Eighteen months ago, St George’s Park was in a sorry state but they have done a terrific job there in upgrading the stadium, the outfield and the pitch. The stadium is in great shape.”We are now simply saying that we will do all in our power to ensure that the pitch in Port Elizabeth is befitting of great one-day international cricket as is envisaged in an ICC Cricket World Cup semifinal,” added Dr Bacher.Rodney Hartman
Communications Director
ICC Cricket World Cup South Africa 2003
Tel: +27 11 446 3604
Fax: +27 11 446 3622
Mobile: +27 83 389 0904

Veteran all-rounder, Graham Rose who has been missing from the Somerset team since very early on in the season, has been included in a squad of 14 that has been named by Kevin Shine for the all important final championship match of the season against Northants starting at The County Ground tomorrow.The full squad named is, Jamie Cox, Matthew Wood, Mike Burns, Mark Lathwell, Ian Blackwell, Rob Turner, Keith Dutch, Richard Johnson, Jason Kerr, Steffan Jones, Jamie Grove, Graham Rose and Pete Trego.Earlier this evening the Somerset Coach told me: “The final line up will depend on what the wicket is going to be like in the morning.”So, will 37-year-old Rose get a recall for this vital match?”There is a chance that Graham will play. This is a difficult call for us, it’s important that we get the right seam combination. We want to win this one,” the coach replied.

Having failed to clinch the Test series, India will look to reasserttheir supremacy over Zimbabwe when they take on the hosts in theiropening match of the triangular one-day series at Harare on Sunday.With a 26-6 win-loss record, India obviously have an edge over theirrivals and start favourites against a home side devoid of thecharismatic Andy Flower and with a new captain at the helm.Grant Flower took over as the new captain of Zimbabwe after HeathStreak stepped down just ahead of the opening match against WestIndies today.That the Indians have left the setback of the four-wicket loss in thesecond Test far behind was in evidence in the thumping ten-wicket winover Zimbabwe A in a practice match yesterday.But probably the most important reason for the Indians to feelconfident about their prospects would be the absence of Andy Flower,the most prolific Zimbabwean scorer against India.For the same reason, Zimbabwe would be a bit worried, for it is theinspirational Andy Flower around whom the entire innings of the teamrevolves. He has played the sheet anchor role on so many ocassionsthat it has become almost impossible to think of a Zimbabwe sidewithout him.The Indians have some more reasons to cheer about. The four playerscalled especially for the one-dayers looked in fine touch in thepractice match yesterday with Virendra Sehwag making a blisteringunbeaten 75 off just 53 balls. Sehwag is a certainty for tomorrow’smatch along with Hemang Badani who too has been quite consistent inthe limited overs matches.Captain Sourav Ganguly must be feeling a little better after scoring afew runs yesterday and the team would be hoping his bad run with thebat finally gets over here.Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid have all looked goodhere though the big innings has eluded them. They have got accustomedto the conditions though they need to adhere to Streak’s advice ofexercising a bit more patience while batting.All-rounder Reetinder Singh Sodhi and middle-order batsman DineshMongia, who joined the one-day team along with Sehwag and fast bowlerHarvinder Singh, would find it difficult to make it to the teamconsidering they are yet to have a feel of the conditions here.It would be interesting to see the bowling composition of the team.With Delhi seamer Ashish Nehra being asked to stay back afterperforming exceedingly well in the Test series, India have four paceoptions and at least three of them are certain to play considering theseamer-friendly wickets here.For Zimbabwe, 17-year-old schoolboy Tatenda Taibu, who makes his debutagainst West Indies today, has been entrusted with the job of keepingthe wickets in the place of Andy Flower.In the absence of Andy Flower, his brother and new captain GrantFlower, who had a tremendous Test series against India, will have toshoulder the major responsibility. Stuart Carlisle and Dion Ebrahimhave shown their hunger for runs and Alistair Campbell is long overduefor a big innings.In the bowling department, David Mutendera and Mluleki Nkala form aformidable combination in the company of Streak and Andy Blignaut.Grant Flower and Brian Murphy will take care of the spin department.The teams (from):India: Saurav Ganguly (capt), Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, RahulDravid, Hemang Badani, Virendra Sehwag, Dinesh Mongia, Reetinder SinghSodhi, Samir Dighe, Harbhajan Singh, Zaheer Khan, Debasish Mohanty,Ajit Agarkar, Ashish Nehra, Harvinder Singh.Zimbabwe: Grant Flower (capt), Alistair Campbell, Dion Ebrahim, StuartCarlisle, Guy Whittall, Heath Streak, Brian Murphy, Mluleki Nkala,Andy Blignaut, Tatenda Taibu, Dirk Viljoen, David Mutendera.