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Canterbury set Wellington a target only three other teams have achieved in domestic cricket history in New Zealand when leaving them 410 to score to win their State Championship match at Rangiora tomorrow.Wellington were 71/1 at stumps, still 339 from their goal.Canterbury and Wellington have played some fantastic cricket matches over the years, and if Wellington can get up, or even close, another thriller may be on the cards.Given the batting collapses both teams have suffered at various stages of the game it would be a minor miracle if it was that close at the end.The only previous successful chases ahead of what Wellington require in the record books are: 475 by Wellington in 1994/95, 473 by Canterbury in 1930/31 and 453 by Northern Districts in 1995/96.Wellington’s batsmen will have their mettle tested fully by a Canterbury attack which offers all the bowling possible from the right-handed side of the bowling spectrum.Canterbury declared at 288/6 today after the provision of an example of the batting riches contained in the pitch for those prepared to build an innings in the manner achieved by Chris Harris 117 not out and Aaron Redmond 101 during their record Canterbury sixth wicket stand against all comers of 209 runs. The stand was the third-best stand for the wicket among inter-association teams.For Redmond it was a maiden first-class century that was richly earned and which followed five previous half centuries and a highest score of 92 which was achieved playing for New Zealand A against Sussex last year.Harris was outstanding. The whole exercise was a mere continuation of the batting paradise Rangiora has become for him. In matches on Dudley Park his scores now read: 14, 0, 29, 251 not out, 33, 13, 46, 79, 70, 117 not out.His total is 652 runs in seven matches for an average of 81.50.It is a fine record and his batting today bore all the hallmarks of the experience he has accrued on the first-class scene. By comparison with his first innings which had four sixes for his first four boundary shots, he was much more subdued today, hitting 11 fours and a six.Sitting on two overnight, he rebuilt his innings sensibly, especially after losing skipper Gary Stead when the score was 59. At one stage Redmond was threatening to outscore Harris but the arrival of off-spinner Jeetan Patel eased the pressure the medium pacers had been exerting.Harris cashed in and posted his 50 off 85 balls in 120 minutes while the 100 partnership came up with a lovely Harris off drive to the boundary from Matthew Walker’s bowling. It took 123 minutes and 193 balls.Redmond scored his 50 in 129 minutes off 108 balls. The only chance either gave was when Harris was on 65 and offered a chance back to bowler Patel which he wasn’t able to hold as he dived to his right.The second new ball slowed proceedings down, but only briefly as the pair carried on with Harris reaching his century in 248 minutes off 187 balls with 11 fours and a six and when Redmond cover drove a ball from Walker for four to go to 98 and placed the next ball backwards of square for two, he scored his century in 233 minutes off 177 balls.At the same time he brought up the 200 stand off 360 balls.As has happened so often in this game, a break in play produced a wicket and it was Redmond’s misfortune to be bowled by Ash Turner for 101 straight after the tea break.That gave Wellington its solitary delight from the day as Turner achieved the notable milestone of a five wicket bag, at a cost of 66 runs, on debut.Wellington lost Phil Chandler for 11 with the score on 16, but a solid recovery was made by skipper Richard Jones and Selwyn Blackmore, who scored 40 and 16 respectively, knowing that they must get Wellington through the first hour tomorrow, while also getting the score over the psychological barrier of less than 300 to get as quickly as possible.It has turned into an intriguing contest with the prospect of two Canterbury spin bowlers in off-spinner Paul Wiseman and leg-spinner Redmond looking to carry their side home to a rare victory in recent times.

The match played at Hyderabad, a commercial cum industrial centre of the province of Sindh was a one sided affair. Pakistan having won all its matches was rather too strong for Bahrain who had lost all with zero points on the table.Having won the toss and electing to bat, Bahrain was all out for 87 in 34.3 overs. They lost the first wicket at 7 and then kept losing them at regular intervals. Opener Haroon Naseer (15) Roshan Cherian Alex (10) Anand Mahendra (11) and Asif Siddique 12 not out were the batsmen who reached double figure. Mr. EXTRAS (24) was the highest contributor of runs.There were four ducks as against only 3 hits to the boundary. The batsmen were not able to face Munir Ansari who wrecked the team clinching 4 wickets for 9 runs. Altaf Hussain and Zaheer Maqsood claimed 2 wickets each.Pakistan inningsThe inevitable happened when Pakistan defeated Bahrain by 9 wickets in 13.5 overs only. Facing an easy target of 88 runs against the bowling as soft as cream and butter, Pakistan had no problem in brushing aside the babes from Bahrain.Suleman Butt and Khalid Latif opened the innings. While Suleman Butt (5) was out at the score of 14; Khalid Latif and Khurram Ibrahim joined hands in spanking the bowlers. In his 48 not out scored in 39 balls, Khalid smashed 9 fours, the highest number of boundaries hit by a batsman in a match in this tournament. Khurram provided his partner admirable support by remaining not out with 21 scored in 31 balls, with 2 fours. They ended the innings at 89 for 1.With a prolific victory over Bahrain by 9 wickets, Pakistan emerges as the leader of Group “A” and cruises into the semi finals. With this defeat Bahrain ends up without a point in this tournament.

ScorecardFile photo- Jatinder Singh top-scored for Oman on the second consecutive day with a 48-ball 40•ICC

Oman completed their second upset win in as many days with a convincing 40-run win against Afghanistan on the back of a strong bowling performance. Oman are currently placed second in Group B after three straight wins, behind Afghanistan who have played an extra game.Oman lost Zeeshan Maqsood of the second ball after being put in to bat, but Zeeshan Ahmed and Jatinder Singh, who hit an unbeaten 65 in Oman’s six-wicket win against Netherlands, consolidated with a 49-run stand. Oman’s batsmen continued to form steady partnerships before Jatinder was bowled by Mohammad Nabi for 40 in the 17th over. However, 35 runs were scored of the last four overs as Oman finished with a competitive 144 for 7. Nabi was Afghanistan’s best bowler and picked up figures of 3 for 28.The Afghanistan openers, Mohammad Shahzad and Javed Ahmadi, started slowly before Shahzad was dismissed for 28. Afghanistan were on course at 61 for 1 in the 10th over but Mehran Khan and Maqsood tore into the middle-order with four-wicket hauls. Wickets fell in clumps and the required run-rate kept climbing to make the chase exponentially harder. Afghanistan were eventually bowled out for 104 by the 18th over.

Scottish champions Celtic ended last term under Brendan Rodgers having claimed a fourth Premiership title in succession, although four in a row has a very different connotation under the new Wilfried Nancy regime.

For the first time since the latter days of the great Jock Stein’s tenure back in 1978, the Hoops have lost four games on the trot, following another abject second-half display away at Tannadice on Wednesday evening.

It had initially looked like one-way traffic as the visitors deservedly took the lead through Daizen Maeda, albeit with a spate of squandered chances, namely from young Johnny Kenny, ultimately proving fatal heading into the second half.

Nancy’s system had caused all sorts of problems for a shaky Dundee United side before the break, although it wasn’t long before Jim Goodwin’s men had found their rhythm, brutally exposing the flaws in this new Celtic set-up to claim a first win since October.

Too many square pegs in round holes. Too many bizarre selection decisions. Nancy’s reign is only in its infancy, but might it already be time to wield the axe?

Why Celtic should already be searching for a Nancy replacement

Now, as has been seen in the past, a period of patience can lead to success later down the line, with Ange Postecoglou notably enduring a difficult beginning at Parkhead, having lost three away Premiership games in succession, prior to mounting a remarkable unbeaten run.

That being said, there is also a sense that it might be wise for Celtic to cut their losses before even further damage is done, with such a miserable run of form simply not acceptable for a club of their stature, even while considering the hospital pass that the Frenchman received regarding this recent run of fixtures.

Recent examples have highlighted how it is better to be ruthless than let a situation drag on, with Bayer Leverkusen having sacked Erik ten Hag after just two games earlier in the campaign, while even the aforementioned Postecoglou lasted just over a month at Nottingham Forest before being shown the door.

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Even if there is a willingness at boardroom level to allow Nancy the time to try and implement his radical changes, there is little evidence to suggest he can turn things around, nor is there any to suggest that Celtic should give him the freedom to spend in January.

This same group of players, it must be remembered, won five Premiership games out of five under interim boss Martin O’Neill, alongside reaching the League Cup final, with the only sour note coming away at FC Midtjylland under the 73-year-old.

Nancy, it would appear, has allowed this team to regress even further than it had even during Rodgers’ final days, with it difficult to comprehend decisions like deploying Luke McCowan at left-wing-back, or starting just a single recognised centre-back.

Do the Hoops consider turning to O’Neill again, or might another free agent coach be more appealing?

Celtic could hire a "better manager" than Rodgers to replace Nancy

As noted by journalist Graeme Bailey, Nancy is “already under pressure” following this disastrous start to life in Glasgow, with that scrutiny only heightened by the looming presence of O’Neill, who could quite easily return to the fold if required.

That said, even while that interim appointment proved fruitful in recent weeks, the treble-winning coach is nothing more than a short-term fit, with Celtic perhaps in need of slightly longer-term thinking.

O’Neill, of course, is a beloved figure at Parkhead, although the same is also true of Postecoglou, with the Aussie likely to represent the dream target, should he be tempted to make a return to Scottish football.

The ex-Forest and Tottenham Hotspur boss – who was among the list of candidates prior to Nancy’s appointment, according to reports – has had a rocky time of things of late, although it was only just over six months ago that he led the north London side to Europa League glory.

In his own view, he is a winner, with that knack for securing silverware having been so evident during his remarkable stint with the Hoops, securing five domestic trophies in just two seasons, while unleashing a brand of football that was a breath of fresh air in the Premiership.

Of course, there may be doubts over hiring another previously successful Celtic manager, after the chaos of Rodgers’ second stint, although journalist Hamish Carton believes he is a “better manager” than Rodgers.

Subscribe for Deeper Celtic Managerial Analysis See beyond the headlines: subscribe to our newsletter for focused, evidence-based analysis and context on Celtic’s managerial situation. Receive expert-driven perspectives on coaching options, tactical shifts, recruitment impacts and long-term implications. Subscribe Subscribe for Deeper Celtic Managerial Analysis See beyond the headlines: subscribe to our newsletter for focused, evidence-based analysis and context on Celtic’s managerial situation. Receive expert-driven perspectives on coaching options, tactical shifts, recruitment impacts and long-term implications.

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In 113 games in charge, the 60-year-old won 83 of those, while boasting a points per game ratio of 2.31.

Postecoglou’s Celtic Record

Stat

Record

Days in charge

750

Games

113

Wins

83

Draws

12

Losses

18

Players used

53

Points per game

2.31

Trophies won

5

Stats via Transfermarkt

In the case of Rodgers, the Northern Irishman recorded a points per game ratio of 2.24 in 169 games in his first stint, prior to registering 2.19 in 123 games in his most recent stint.

Postecoglou’s stint took the club to such highs, having simply blown teams away domestically, while enjoying a remarkable period of recruitment, with bargain deals for the likes of Maeda, Reo Hatate and Matt O’Riley.

In Nancy’s defence, he has inherited a far less successfully assembled squad, although there can be no excuses amid such a woeful beginning to his time in the dugout.

Change, however brutal it might be, needs to be made, with Postecoglou surely a more than worthy replacement.

Related He was as bad as Kenny: Nancy must drop Celtic flop who lost 100% duels

Wilfried Nancy must drop this Celtic flop who was as bad as Johnny Kenny and Daizen Maeda.

Posts ByDan Emery

Click here for a full list of the 2008 fixturesThe England & Wales Cricket Board today unveiled the full fixture list for the 2008 domestic season, which gets underway on Thursday, April 10 when the reigning county champions, Sussex, take on MCC in the traditional curtain-raiser at Lord’s.Sussex will begin the defence of their back-to-back championship crowns the following week (April 16) as they travel to The Rose Bowl to take on Hampshire, while newly-promoted Nottinghamshire will face Kent at Canterbury on the same day. Lancashire, who came so close to snatching the title on the final day of the season, return to The Oval, the scene of their bitter last-ditch defeat against Surrey.The Division Two season kicks off with a midlands derby, as Warwickshire host Worcestershire at Edgbaston after both teams were relegated in 2007.The Friends Provident Trophy takes on a new format in 2008 with the 18 first-class counties as well as Ireland and Scotland making up four groups of five teams. Each team plays the other four teams in the group twice throughout the competition, home and away. The top two teams from each group will then qualify for the quarter-finals on July 4, with the winners of each group earning a home draw.The opening round of the Friends Provident Trophy pits last year’s winners, Durham, against Yorkshire at the Riverside on April 20, with a further seven opening round matches to be played on the same day. The final at Lord’s takes place on Saturday August 16.The Twenty20 Cup gets under way on Wednesday, June 11 with last year’s winners Kent taking on Sussex at Canterbury in the first round of the new-look group stage. Next season, each team will play a symmetrical format of five home and five away games with the groups remaining regional-based with three groups of six first-class counties.The Twenty20 Cup group stage concludes on Friday, June 27 with quarter-finals on to be played from July 7 to 9 and four teams progressing to finals day at The Rose Bowl on Saturday, July 26.The Pro40 competition kicks off on Tuesday, July 15 with a floodlit Division One match between the holders Worcestershire and Nottinghamshire at New Road, while the competition will feature a further 23 matches under lights in the second half of the summer. Televised fixtures for the 2008 domestic season will be confirmed in due course.

Scorecard

Steve Harmison was able to field, despite having pulled out of the match with a side strain © Getty Images

England fans were heartened to see Steve Harmison fielding on the final day of England’s tour match against South Australia, as the game petered out to a draw. Harmison pulled out before the start of the match at the Adelaide Oval on Friday with a side strain.But England could have used his bowling as South Australia’s top order created problems, batting their way to 2 for 164 before the teams agreed to finish the game an hour early. Matthew Hoggard and James Anderson – who both spent time off the ground – were unable to have the same impact with the new ball as they had in the first innings.Daniel Harris, who finished unbeaten on 71, and Matthew Elliott (55) put on 94 for the first wicket before Anderson pulled in a one-handed catch at midwicket to claim Elliott from the bowling of Monty Panesar. Kevin Pietersen picked up the only other wicket, that of Cameron Borgas for 27, shortly before the teams shook hands.England were dismissed for 415 immediately before lunch, after Sajid Mahmood entertained the crowd with some lusty hitting on his way to 41 from 46 balls. He took to the South Australia spinners, Cullen Bailey and Dan Cullen, striking a six from each of them as England lost 4 for 112 in the morning session.Geraint Jones added 19 to his overnight total before Cullen had him caught at bat-pad for 33, while Andrew Flintoff kept the scoreboard ticking over until he was bowled attempting a slog off Bailey for 47. Mahmood was stumped off the part-time spin of Darren Lehmann and when Anderson was caught behind off Bailey for 9 the tourists finished their innings with a lead of 168 runs.The signs were good for England earlier in the match, when Ian Bell (132) and Paul Collingwood (80) put together a 178-run partnership on day two. Each of the top six that will line up in the first Test at Brisbane have scored at least one half-century during the warm-up matches, while the bowlers – with the exception of Harmison – have clocked up useful miles.

Match Package

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Bulletin – Kallis steers South Africa home
Verdict – Positives despite the defeat
Comment – Yuvraj Singh – From potential to performance
Quotes – ‘Our focus is winning the series’ – Graeme Smith
Quotes – ‘Batting under pressure, I concentrate more’ – Yuvraj Singh
News – Harbhajan fined for conduct
Preview package
Preview – India train their sights on South Africa
Stats – Red-hot South Africans have a point to prove
Quotes – ‘You have to play well to beat anyone’ – Dravid

Shane Warne: broke Muttiah Muralitharan’s record of 532 Test wickets and stands alone at the top of the pile© Getty Images

Shane Warne has claimed the world record for the most Test wickets as he overtook Muttiah Muralitharan’s tally of 532 earlier today. Warne’s crowning moment came when he had Irfan Pathan caught at slip by Matthew Hayden with a peach of a delivery that drifted away from the left-hander and turned in.It was by no means a walk in the park for Warne – he toiled hard to pick up 3 for 95 in addition to his rather meagre returns of 4 for 193 in the first Test. But the moment was a special one, and the knowledgable Chennai crowd gave Warne a rousing response. David Shepherd, the umpire standing at the end where the wicket fell, was quick to congratulate Warne, as was Rahul Dravid, the batsman who replaced Pathan.But it did not always seem like Warne would make this record his. Muralitharan has been on a hot streak in recent times, and only an injury to his shoulder gave Warne the breathing space to catch up. Murali has taken only 91 Tests to get to 532 wickets, each of his wickets costs 22.86 runs (Warne 25.64).Murali first claimed the record when he beat Courtney Walsh’s tally of 519 wickets, against Zimbabwe in Harare. He then raced on to 527 wickets, with a 6-wicket haul in Bulawayo. Warne then matched the feat, picking up seven wickets against Sri Lanka in Darwin. Murali has not played a Test since August and Warne has two Tests after this one in which to stretch the lead.

David Graveney, the England chairman of selectors, said the meeting prior to the third npower Test match was one of the most important in quite some time. They faced some big decisions, he said. Well, after much head-scratching they have now been made. And the reaction: one good, one bad and one for the future.With Graham Thorpe unavailable with a back injury, Ed Smith was the second-best option to replace Anthony McGrath. Smith has been in fine fettle for Kent, and his selection is a plus point for county cricket. Previous players, such as Chris Adams and Aftab Habib, have made big waves in the domestic game and then drowned when thrown into the deep end of Test cricket. Smith deserves his chance to prove he isn’t one of them.Gareth Batty is unlikely to play at Trent Bridge unless England choose two spinners, but his inclusion confirms his position as twirler No. 2 to Ashley Giles. Batty had a tough taster in his two one-day internationals against Australia last winter, and impressed many with his loopy offspin. His inclusion will also keep Giles on his toes.With a clutch of fast-bowling injuries such as Richard Johnson, Matthew Hoggard, Alex Tudor (the list goes on), England searched far and wide for a replacement for Darren Gough. The obvious successor, James Kirtley, has been with them all summer. After missing out in the four Tests so far this season, he deserves to make his debut. However, England now have another option in Glen Chapple.Chapple, 29, completes the triumvirate of new faces. His inclusion is the most shocking, but it would be harsh to call it a shocker. He has the experience of three England A tours, and has been a consistent performer for Lancashire for over ten years – and boy, do the England attack need consistency. Admittedly he would bolster the lower order, but he’s no Gough with the ball. Could he be another McGrath (Anthony, not Glenn) in disguise?James Anderson and Steve Harmison have correctly kept their places and they need to stop bowling with learner plates on their backs and appreciate the virtues of the other two L’s (line and length). Nasser Hussain and Alec Stewart haven’t been pensioned off, although it might have been the end of a long and tiring road for Nasser if Thorpe had been fit. Michael Vaughan hinted he didn’t want Hussain, Stewart and Thorpe in the same team, but he needs at least two of them in these uncertain times for England.Probable team1 Michael Vaughan (capt), 2 Marcus Trescothick, 3 Mark Butcher, 4 Nasser Hussain, 5 Ed Smith, 6 Alec Stewart (wk), 7 Andrew Flintoff, 8 Ashley Giles, 9 James Kirtley, 10 Stephen Harmison, 11 James Anderson.

England will be without Graham Thorpe for the rest of the Test series in India.The Surrey left-hander is flying back to England today to sort out personal matters at home.The decision to let Thorpe go home for the last fortnight of the six-week tour was taken last night. Thorpe, 32, has been replaced in the side for the second Test by Yorkshire’s Michael Vaughan.An England and Wales Cricket Board statement read: “The England team management today announced that Graham Thorpe is to return to England and consequently will play no further part in the Test series with India.”Pressing matters of a personal nature have arisen that required Graham’simmediate attention.”The team management request that Graham’s privacy and that of his family berespected by all.”Michael Vaughan will replace Graham in the second Test.”