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| July 2, 2003 | Wednesday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 1,1424 |
England, Zimbabwe share points as rain spoils show
LEEDS (England), July 1: The triangular series One-day International between England and Zimbabwe at Headingley on Tuesday was abandoned after rain allowed only 16.3 overs to be bowled.
England had reached 81 for four when the umpires abandoned play. The start of the match, which was reduced to 25 overs a side, had been delayed by more than five hours.
Both teams were awarded three points to move joint top of the tournament standings on nine points from three matches, with South Africa on six from two.
Zimbabwe captain Heath Streak had openers Marcus Trescothick (three) and Vikram Solanki (eight), who both made centuries in Saturday’s victory over South Africa, caught in the slips before Chris Read was run out for one and Andrew Flintoff was caught in the deep for six to leave England struggling at 32 for four.
But captain Michael Vaughan and Anthony McGrath dug in to add 49 runs before the match was called off. Vaughan finished on 35 not out, with McGrath on 15.
England, who handed an international debut to fast bowler Kabir Ali, next play South Africa on Thursday in a day-night match at Old Trafford, Manchester.
Meanwhile, Vaughan said that Graham Thorpe was still the country’s best batsman.
Vaughan told Sky Sports: “Thorpe is probably still our best batter.
“If he is settled and has made it clear he would be available for (the World Cup in) 2007 — although I am not a selector — I am sure he would have to come into consideration.”
Surrey left-hander Thorpe, 33, has been out of England contention since withdrawing from the Ashes tour squad in the last northern winter, citing personal problems following the break-up of his marriage.
Last year Thorpe announced his retirement from One-day International cricket and soon afterwards played his last Test, against India at Lord’s.
However, he has now made himself available again for international matches in both forms of the game and his good form for Surrey has put him back in the selection spotlight.
Neither Jim Troughton or Robert Key have impressed in the middle order during the team’s One-day International campaign which Thorpe, skilled at keeping an innings ticking over, has watched from the sidelines after being omitted from the 15-man squad.
But Vaughan is in no doubt about Thorpe’s quality. “He is a brilliant player and he would definitely get in your eleven.”
Scoreboard
ENGLAND:
M.E. Trescothick c Flower b Streak 3
V.S. Solanki c Flower b Streak 8
C.M.W. Read run out 1
M.P. Vaughan not out 35
A. Flintoff c Friend b Blignaut 6
A. McGrath not out 15
EXTRAS (B-2, LB-5, W-6) 13
TOTAL (for four wkts, 16.3 overs) 81
FALL OF WKTS: 1-11, 2-12, 3-13, 4-32.
DID NOT BAT: J.O. Troughton, Kabir Ali, R.L. Johnson, D. Gough, J.M. Anderson.
BOWLING: Streak 4-0-13-2 (1w); Hondo 4-0-16-0 (1w); Blignaut 4-0-14-1 (1w); Ervine 3-0-20-0 (2w); Brent 1-0-4-0; Friend 0.3-0-7-0 (1w).
ZIMBABWE: D.D. Ebrahim, D.A. Marillier, T.J. Friend, G.W. Flower, S. Matsikenyeri, T. Taibu, H.H. Streak, A.M. Blignaut, S.M. Ervine, G.B. Brent, D.T. Hondo.
RESULT: Match abandoned.
UMPIRES: D.R. Shepherd (England) and S.J.A. Taufel (Australia).
TV UMPIRE: J.W. Lloyds (England).
MATCH REFEREE: C.H. Lloyd (West Indies).
NEXT MATCH: England v South Africa at Old Trafford (D/N) on Thursday.
Standings
(Tabulate under — played, won, lost, tied, no result, bonus points, points, run rate):
England 3 1 1 0 1 0 9 +0.075
Zimbabwe 3 1 1 0 1 0 9 -0.334
South Africa 2 1 1 0 0 0 6 +0.237
—Reuters/AFP
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