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POTCHEFSTROOM, South Africa, Feb 21 AAP – Australia’s rampaging cricketers are on the verge of a world record.Victories over Zimbabwe, Namibia and England in their next three World Cup matches will move Ricky Ponting’s men past the benchmark of 11 straight limited-overs wins achieved by the awesome West Indian teams of the mid-1980s.Australia’s hot streak, which began with a seven-run triumph over England at Hobart on January 11, has since claimed eight more victims.And there are many more in sight as the defending champions attempt to retain their prized trophy via an undefeated six-week trek through southern Africa.The Windies, boasting the likes of Vivian Richards, Desmond Haynes, Gordon Greenidge, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner and Michael Holding, strung together 11 wins between June 1984 and February 1985.”I don’t think it’s out of our league, that’s for sure,” said Australian opening batsman Matthew Hayden.”We are playing really good cricket and I guess now it’s just playing the big matches – Zimbabwe is a big match on their home territory.”I don’t think it’s out of our possibilities, we are playing well – we’re a great side when we’re playing with that momentum behind us.”Australia has come within a whisker of the Windies’ record twice before, falling at the 11th hurdle in May 1990 and February 2001.But it holds the record for the most consecutive one-day games without defeat: a trailblazing 14-match stretch between January and March 2000 that included a no-result when rain washed out play against New Zealand in Wellington.Hayden claimed it was too early for Australia to start thinking about an unbeaten World Cup, even though fast bowler Glenn McGrath and wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist have already spoken of the lofty ambition.”We’ve won two of the biggest matches, against India and Pakistan, straight away and we kind of saw that as the key to our campaign and we’re just gathering a lot of strength from that,” said Hayden.Meanwhile, the world’s No.1 Test and one-day batsman paid Holland’s ragged crew of slow-medium pace bowlers a huge compliment by saying the 22.4 overs he faced at North West Stadium on Thursday were the most difficult for him in years.The Dutch can’t take all the credit, though.A wet pitch and overcast conditions were more responsible for Hayden’s stuttering 33 from 59 balls than Holland’s new-ball partnership of 40-year-old Roland Lefebvre and Edgar Schiferli, whose international bowling average was left at an unflattering 190.”Personally, they were 20 of the hardest overs I’ve faced in one-day cricket for a long time,” said Hayden, who backed the appearance of minnows like Holland at the World Cup.”The ball was swinging and seaming around, they were difficult conditions.”We were obviously going to be a more talented side than Holland but you have to look at it from a developmental point of view as well.”If you jump up and down and say we can’t possibly include these kind of nations in a World Cup, their cricket never develops.”I think it’s good for the game. The Holland blokes were first in the dressing room at the end of the day’s play having a beer and trying to learn as much as they could.”Australia plays Zimbabwe at Bulawayo on Monday, Namibia at Potchefstroom on Thursday and England at Port Elizabeth on March 2.

Mark Alleyne’s rich vein of form continued with his second century in successive matches to put Gloucestershire into a strong position at the end of the first day at Derby.The Gloucestershire captain added an unbeaten 114 to the 132 he made against Durham at Gloucester and with Kim Barnett, Chris Taylor and Jeremy Snape helping themselves to half-centuries, the visitors ended on 374-4.It added up to another dispiriting day for Derbyshire who took only one wicket between lunch and the close.Tim Munton bowled an impressive 10 over spell in the morning but Gloucestershire’s batsmen encountered few problems on a slow pitch which is expected to take turn later in the game.Barnett got Gloucestershire moving with some typically flashing strokes on his return to the county he left in 1998.His 73 included 10 fours, two of them all run and he looked set for a century until he played around a ball from Paul Aldred.Munton had snared Dominic Hewson and Matt Windows cheaply but Taylor and Alleyne added 147 in 48 overs before Taylor, who took a six and two fours from a Paul Aldred over, was lbw to the pace bowler for 83.Alleyne went to his century, his 21st in first-class cricket, from 202 balls and had shared an unbroken stand of 103 with Snape when the close signalled an end to Derbyshire’s torment.

Wolves reportedly now want to clinch a quick deal to sign Kilmarnock central defender and ‘big, big’ talent Charlie McArthur.

The Lowdown: Breakthrough season

McArthur is enjoying a breakthrough season in Scottish football, having already made three senior appearances for his club at just 16 years of age.

His former manager Tommy Wright was full of praise form him earlier this season, claiming that he has a ‘big, big future’ after handing him his debut, while he has also hailed McArthur as a ‘dream to work with’.

Nonetheless, it is no surprise to see clubs now circling around for his signature.

The Latest: Wolves want quick deal

As per The Daily Record, both the Midlands club and West Ham United are preparing moves and ‘want to clinch a quick deal’ for McArthur, as Brighton and Hove Albion also look to table a £275,000 bid for the starlet.

The Seagulls have been tracking him for ‘some time’ and have seen him play for Scotland’s U17s, of whom he is the captain.

The Verdict: Get it done

Given the impending offer from Brighton, the Molineux faithful need to act fast if they are going to get a deal for McArthur over the line.

He is clearly a bright prospect that could thrive in the Academy, until Bruno Lage is ready to call him up to the first team.

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Nonetheless, at 16, he has so much potential, and so other teams may well join the race in the summer.

In other news, find out which Wanderers ace is now being eyed by ‘several clubs’ here!

	Harbhajan Singh inspects the pitch as a policeman looks on © AFP

Security has been increased in Kanpur, and especially around the India and South Africa teams, following the threat of an attack during the third Test, which begins there on Friday. The threat is believed to have been made two days ago by a fundamentalist organisation banned by the Indian government.”Security has been beefed up,” Vikram Singh, the Uttar Pradesh director-general of police, confirmed. “We are using trained police personnel and manpower, new technology equipments, interceptors and taking other steps to make the Test match safe and secure.We ask spectators to come and enjoy the match without worrying about security.”Intelligence agencies had warned the Delhi and UP police of the possibility of an attack on cricketers. Local newspapers reported a threat from the Students’ Islamic Movement of India, an outfit banned by the government.Logan Naidoo, the South Africa team manager, said they were monitoring the situation but indicated that at the moment the tour would go ahead as scheduled. “It is still early days but if we feel threatened in any way then we will have to seriously consider what we want to do. For now all we want to do is let people know that, although there has been a terrorist threat, we do not feel under threat at the moment and we have been assured by the BCCI of our security,” Naidoo said. He said that additional security had been provided at the team hotel.”There are more checkpoints around the hotel and people are being frisked more than usual,” Naidoo said. “We have been in touch with the top brass of the Indian police in Delhi and their Intelligence Bureau is aware of what is happening.”Although they don’t see any possibility of the threat taking place, they want to make sure all possible security measures are put in place and that we feel comfortable with our security,” he said. “We are not taking this lightly – the players are worried – so we will respect our hosts’ (BCCI) word on this but keep in touch with the situation. We have asked our own intelligence back home, Nicholls Steyn and Associates, to look into the matter and they are doing that through their London branch. They are also sending an extra member of their security team to India and he will be with us by Thursday.”

Lou Vincent proved during 2006-07 that he likes playing in Australian conditions © Getty Images

South Australia are reportedly chasing the services of Lou Vincent for the 2007-08 season. Vincent spent most of his teenage years living in Adelaide and playing for representative age-group teams before returning to Auckland.If the Redbacks were able to sign him, it would give their batting a significant and much-needed boost after only three of their players made first-class centuries in 2006-07. The state finished last in the Pura Cup competition and secured their only win in the final game of the year. reported that Vincent was involved in negotiations with the South Australian Cricket Association and was “understood to be strongly leaning towards a move to Adelaide”.Vincent was arguably New Zealand’s best batsman during the CB Series, when he made three half-centuries from four innings after being a late addition to the squad. He made 101 against Canada at the World Cup before his tournament ended with a broken wrist courtesy of a Shane Bond delivery during a net session.A SACA spokesperson said the reports of Vincent’s potential signing were speculation. The state will not finalise its list of contracted players until early June.

The dates for Bangladesh’s tour of Kenya and Zimbabwe have now been agreed, and the schedule is a punishing one for the Bangladeshis, with eight ODIs in 18 days.They arrive in Nairobi on July 15 and play three ODIs between July 19 and 23. The matches were brought forward by two days as the Kenyans had been scheduled to leave for Canada, where they play an Intercontinental Cup tie at the end of the month, on the evening of July 25.From Nairobi the Bangladesh side head south to Zimbabwe on July 26, where they have five ODIs in eight days at venues yet to be confirmed. It is understood that negotiations are ongoing between the two boards over the exact schedule.Cricinfo has learned that the Zimbabweans had tried to postpone the tour until September as many of their first-choice players are out of the country, most playing club cricket in the UK. But Bangladesh, who have kept all their first-team squad on stand-by, made clear that this was not an option under the terms of the Future Tours Program.The back-to-back itinerary is probably in part due to the need for the Zimbabwe players to be in and out as quickly as possible to enable them to honour their club commitments.The full Bangladesh tour to Zimbabwe will be preceded by a five-week visit by their A-team.

Division One

Irfan Pathan claimed three wickets for Middlesex but could not stop Essex edging home © Getty Images

Ryan ten Doeschate completed an extraordinary personnel game as he guided Essex to a thrilling one-wicket win against Middlesex at Lord’s. ten Doeschate made 51 from 41 balls as Essex squeezed home with two balls to spare. Darren Gough helped him secure the win, adding 26 for the last wicket. Irfan Pathan, who had earlier bowled well to take three wickets, could not seal the game for Middlesex in the final over. ten Doeschate’s innings made up for his bowling performance when his only over cost 25 runs. Scott Styris boosted Middlesex’s total with a rapid 71 from 43 balls with seven sixes, four of them coming off Doeschate.Hampshire completed a comfortable 79-run win over Lancashire after a solid all round performance. Chris Tremlett rocked Lancashire’s top-order as they chased 201 and once they were 16 for 3 Hampshire never slackened their grip. Billy Taylor removed Mark Chilton (47), the top-scorer, and Shaun Udal wrapped up the tail. Hampshire’s total was built around 65 from Derek Kenway, although they failed to fully capitalise when they fell from 173 for 5 to 200 all out, as Andrew Crook took 3 for 32.The match between Glamorgan and Nottinghamshire at Swansea was abandoned before 4pm as rain swept in, with both sides taking two points.

Division Two

Somerset collapsed from 101 for 2 to 146 all out as they slumped to a 71-run defeat against Leicestershire. While Graeme Smith was compiling 61 from 84 balls Somerset were on course to reach their target of 218. But when he fell to Dinesh Mongia they subsided, as Mongia claimed 4 for 12 from seven overs. Mongia earlier top-scored for Leicestershire, with 75 from 72 balls, as they overcame a sluggish start to post a decent total.Derbyshire overwhelmed Kent by 90 runs at Maidstone after a thrilling century from Michael di Venuto powered the visitors to 304 for 3. di Venuto scored 116 from 90 balls and added 155 for the first wicket with Steve Stubbings, who played a rare attacking innings. James Bryant and Jonathan Moss boosted the score with rapid innings as all Kent’s attack suffered. Andrew Hall gave Kent a glimmer of hope with 61 from 56 balls, but once he fell they subsided with Ant Botha claiming 3 for 25Neil Carter produced a superb all round performance was Warwickshire beat Surrey by 49 runs at Whitgift School. Carter launched Warwickshire’s innings in dramatic style as he smashed 58 from 36 balls, including four sixes. Jim Troughton top-scored with 69 and Alex Loudon made 54 as Warwickshire amassed 309 for 8. Carter then starred with the ball, taking 3-37 including Dominic Thornely, Surrey’s latest overseas signing. Mark Ramprakash made a defiant 89 but Surrey were always well behind the rate.

After undergoing a worrying ankle operation recently, Ashish Nehra proved his fitness in the first innings of the Duleep Trophy final at Mohali, with 20 overs of consistently probing bowling. He managed 11 overs today, without showing any sign of a niggle, and should now be a certainty to board the flight to Pakistan. Here’s what he said after the fourth day’s play:

Ashish Nehra: “A lot of fast bowlers get injured in Australia”© Getty Images

On his performance in this match:
I hadn’t played much cricket after the surgery – my second surgery on the ankle – but I am feeling much better after this match. I didn’t go all out with my pace and took it more as a practice match. Domestic cricket always helps you when you are coming back from an injury. I bowled nearly 20 to 30 overs, and am feeling fit.On his performance in Australia, and how he sustained his injury:
The Australian wickets are really hard, and the outfields are very soft. So that results in a lot of fast bowlers getting injured there. I haven’t been able to get back the pace that I showed during the World Cup, but that is bound to happen when one sustains injuries regularly. After the Word Cup I was in plaster for two to three months. I wasn’t getting much swing in Australia, but it’s slowly coming back – it takes time to come back.On breaking down regularly …
Injuries are nothing new for a fast bowler. Even bowlers like Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee have sustained many injuries. It happens to all of us.And on the upcoming tour of Pakistan:
It’s definitely a big tour, and it’s coming after the Australian tour. It is a big thing for all of us. I am fully fit, and this game really helped me a lot.

HOBART, Feb 9 AAP – Western Australia skipper Justin Langer’s bold knock set up a comfortable ING Cup victory over third-placed Tasmania, leaving his cricket team just one point behind leader Queensland.The Test opener top scored with 89 runs off 92 balls as WA cruised to victory with five wickets and 2.2 overs to spare after being set a target of 246 at Bellerive Oval.Langer’s innings included 11 fours and one six that soared over the top of the Stuart Spencer stand before he fell LBW to Dan Marsh.Tasmanian cricket officials would have been relieved to hear Langer and Tigers counterpart Jamie Cox praise the Bellerive Oval wicket.Today’s match came just four days after the Pura Cup fiasco when play between Tasmania and WA was abandoned on the second day after the umpires declared the pitch – adjacent to today’s wicket – unsafe for batsmen.An ACB investigation into that embarrassment is underway but both captains were satisfied with today’s wicket, which was last used for an ACB Cup match in January.”Today was fantastic,” Cox said.”There’s quality in there, but it certainly has to improve.”Sent in to bat, Tasmania made 7-245 from its 50 overs.Warriors paceman Callum Thorp destroyed the Tigers’ chances of a big total after openers Michael Dighton and Michael DiVenuto rattled on 92 runs off 104 balls.He made a double breakthrough by dismissing Dighton (33) and DiVenuto (54) and was on a hat-trick when he claimed the wicket of Graeme Cunningham.Playing in only his fifth one-day game for the Warriors, Thorp finished with 4-46 from his 10 overs.Batting at No.7 George Bailey top scored for the Tigers with an unbeaten 57.The home team felt the absence of leading bowler Damien Wright keenly.Wright, who is suffering a back injury and is likely to be out for the rest of the season, was replaced by fellow paceman Shane Jurgensen, who proved expensive with 0-66 from 10 overs.Langer shared an opening stand of 81 with Ryan Campbell (31) while Michael Hussey saw the Warriors home to victory with an unbeaten 65.”Wrighty was a big loss,” Cox acknowledged.”You can’t just replace one of probably the top three bowlers of the competition all that easily.”It hurt us. You know, you take two for 30 out of our bowling and it’s going to hurt any side.””It looks like he will probably miss the rest of the season.”Queensland leads the Cup table with 27 points followed by WA on 26 and Tasmania on 20.

NORTHAMPTON – Adam Gilchrist will lead Australia in the one-day cricket match against Northamptonshire tomorrow while Steve Waugh takes a rest.Steve and Mark Waugh, Wade Seccombe and Shane Warne have been omitted as Australia continues its policy of rotating players.Fast bowler Nathan Bracken has been named in the XI despite having a minor shoulder strain.The match, starting at 8pm (AEST), is the last for Australia before back-to-back internationals against Pakistan and England in the tri-series tournament at Cardiff on the weekend.The team is: Adam Gilchrist (c), Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Michael Bevan, Damien Martyn, Andrew Symonds, Ian Harvey, Damien Fleming, Glenn McGrath, Jason Gillespie, Nathan Bracken (12th man to be added).