Fletcher mourn loss of Zaheer

India coach Duncan Fletcher feel the wound to pacer Zaheer Khan cost India the opportunity of "having a very good day" in the opening Test against England at Lord's.

Khan was easily India's best bowler at Lord's on Thursday before he went to hospital for a scan on his left leg. He took both wickets as England reached 127/2 before rain ensured just over half the listed 90 overs were bowled on the first day.

"He showed he's almost certainly the bowler we miss the most," Fletcher said. "Probably, the others lacked experience. He going off was a big miss. From our point of view, I think maybe we would have been happy with three wickets. I think if he had stayed there and got three or four, we would have broken up having a very good day."

Before limping off the field halfway through the 42nd over, Khan proved penetrating and miserly, footage figures of 2-18.

He trapped Alastair Cook lbw in the morning session and then dupe England captain Andrew Strauss into a skin complaint pull that was caught by Ishant Sharma at fine leg shortly after lunch.

"He's almost certainly the one that could have got us three or four wickets, so he was quite a loss at that stage," Fletcher said.

India's other bowlers proved notably less threatening, however, and while Praveen Kumar and Harbhajan Singh were perhaps unlucky not to claim wickets, Sharma was inconsistent and failed to pressurise batsmen.

Fletcher argues they still bowled rationally well.

"It was hard for our bowlers to get used to the swing," he said. "I still think we bowled pretty well, but they need to get their lines right."

England's Jonathan Trott lived dangerously on his way to 58 not out. Having been drop by Dravid at first slip off Harbhajan, he then edged a delivery from Khan between wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Dravid.

He said: "I think they were two very hard chances," Fletcher said. "I think on another day one might have been taken, but they were very hard chances and we've seen that happen at Lord's on numerous occasions."

He also protected his players against suggestion they lacked intensity in the field.

"Not at all. I consideration those players were really up for the game," he said. "They wanted to play at Lord's and give it their best shot. Those players have just had three hard Test matches in the West Indies.

"It's not just a question of coming over here and getting used to the conditions. We've seen players play a whole Test series and move violently in the field," said Fletcher.

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Rain plays wet blanket at Lord's

Jonathan Trott struck his seventh Test half-century before rain brings an untimely end to day one of the first Test between England and India at Lord's.

Playing in his first Test match next to the world number one-ranked nation, Trott ride his luck when presenting Rahul Dravid with two chances at slip and made the tourists pay by navigation England to 127-2 under leaden, swing-assisting skies.

An early tea was taken with Trott victorious on 58 and Kevin Pietersen not out 22, however dark clouds surrounded Lord's and determined rain meant no further play was possible.

India, who had in progress the day so well by dismiss openers Alastair Cook (12) and Andrew Strauss (22) either side of lunch, will now be sweating on the man who dismissed both, Zaheer Khan, after he hobble off the field with an apparent constrain injury midway through his 14th over.

Having won the toss and opt to bowl there were hopeful early signs for the Indian seamers, with Zaheer's first ball moving considerably into Strauss and Praveen Kumar finding some lavish swing from the Pavilion End.

After causing the England openers plenty of problems, it came as no surprise when Zaheer trapped Cook on the gather in the 11th over to claim the breakthrough.

Strauss, who had one near miss from a run-out, scored his first boundary after 48 balls off Sharma, with new man Trott also finding the ropes after another loose release from the wayward seamer.

Spinner Harbhajan Singh was given the 19th over and approximately saw off Trott with his first ball, which went straight on and took the edge. Dravid, at slip, did not get down quickly sufficient and the chance went begging.

England reach lunch on 43-1 and, just as it comes into view as though batting conditions were improving, Strauss undid 25 overs of alert work by looking to pull a Zaheer bouncer from outside off stump.

He was quick for pace and top-edged it low on the bat, giving Ishant Sharma a simple catch at fine leg.

Pietersen endure a nervy start, taking 14 balls to get off the mark and looking ill at ease as Sharma tighten up his line.

Zaheer had bowled 33 successive dot balls when he finally located Trott's edge, only for the ball to wriggle between wicketkeeper and first slip. Either Mahendra Singh Dhoni or Dravid might have pouched it but neither man put a hand on it to give Trott a second life on 32.

A single off the next ball took England past three figures but inferior was to follow for India when Zaheer pulled up with an obvious hamstring injury and left the field in some discomfort.

Trott eased Harbhajan for four throughout the covers as England looked to break the shackles, but Pietersen almost rotten to a rash stroke, skying one just over mid-on off the spinner.

Trott's 50 came up off 89 balls before dark skies and heavy light rain took the teams off early.

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A party of 2000 glorious Tests

With the 2000th Test well happening at Lord's,  looks at some of the most hard to believe milestones in the history of the game.

England and India are battling in the 100th Test between the two teams at the Mecca of cricket - what better time might there be to go down memory lane and celebrate a enormous journey. Despite the advent of Twenty20 after the ODI's, Test cricket continues to thrive. Numbers don't lie.

5,000 run against one country

The only batsman to amass 5,000 runs against one country is Sir Donald Bradman - 5028 at an average of 89.78 in 37 Tests for Australia against England between November 1928 and August 1948.

15 hundreds against one country

Don Bradman is the only batsman to register 15 hundreds or more against one nation - 19 in 37 Tests against England.

Most double hundreds in a Test series

Don Bradman is the only one to post three innings of 200 or more, accompishing the feat against England in 1930 - 254 at Lord's; 334 at Leeds and 232 at The Oval.

A triple hundred and a hundred

England's Graham Gooch is the only batsman to register a triple hundred and a hundred in the same Test - 333 & 123 vs. India at Lord's in 1990.

Five hundred in a Test series

West Indian Clyde Walcott is the only one to accomplish the feat of registering five hundreds in a Test series while amassing 827 runs against Australia in a five-Test series in 1955.

950 runs in a Test series

Only one batsman has managed 950 runs or more in a Test series. Don Bradman, in only seven innings during Australia's five-Test series aainst England in 1930, aggregated 974 at an average of 139.14, his scores being 8, 131, 254, 1, 334, 14 and 232. The only other batsman to manage 900 runs in a Test series is England's Wally Hammond - 905 at an average of 113.12, including four centuries against Autralia in five Tests in 1928-29.

800 runs in a Test as series as captain

Don Bradman is the only captain to aggregate 800 runs in a Test series - 810 (avverage.90.00), including three hundreds, in a five-Test series against England in Australia in 1936-37.

750 runs in a three-Test series

Graham Gooch, apart from captaining England, amassed 752 at an average of 125.33, including three hundreds, against India in 1990 - the highest in a three-Test series.

750 runs in a debut Test series

India's Sunil Gavaskar is the only batsman to amass 750 runs in a debut Test series, aggregating 774 at an average of 154.80 in four Tests against West Indies in the Caribbean in 1970-71. His tally included four hundreds and three fifties.

The first to amass both 9,000 and 10,000 runs in Tests

India's Sunil Gavaskar was the first to reach 9,000 and 10,000 runs in Tests. He had completed 9,000 during his undefeated 166 against Australia at Adelaide on December 17, 1985. He also became the first to notch five-figure mark shortly after tea on March 7, 1987 - against Pakistan at Ahmedabad's Gujarat Stadium and playing his penultimate Test. A jubilant crowd invasion halted play for more than 20 minutes.

First to register 300 runs in a Test match on debut

England's Tip Foster (287 + 19) had become the first batsman to register 300 runs on debut in a Test match. He had achieved the feat against Australia at Sydney in December 1903.

Most runs in a Test match on debut

Jamaica's Lawrence Rowe is the only batsman to register a double hundred and a hundred in his first Test match, accomplishing the feat for West Indies against New Zealand on his home ground at Sabina Park, Kingston, in February 1972 - 214 and 100 not out. His tally of 314 is a record for any player in his first Test.

Separate centuries on successive days of a Test match

Playing against Australia at Adelaide in 1948, India's Vijay Hazare posted 108 of his first innings 116 on January 26, followed by 102 of his second innings 145 on January 27. He is the only batsman to accomplish the feat in Tests.

First to accomplish a triple of 1,000 runs, 100 wickets and 100 catches

West Indian Garry Sobers was the first all-rounder to amass 1,000 runs, capture 100 wickets and hold 100 catches in Test cricket. In a 93-Test career between March 30, 1954 and April 5, 1974, he managed 8032 runs, claimed 235 wickets and held 109 catches.

First to complete the 'double double' 

Australia's Richie Benaud was the first to accomplish the double of 2000 runs and 200 wickets, achieving the feat in his 60th Test while registering his 2000th run on December 6 1963 against South Africa at Brisbane - in the last of his 28 Tests as Australia's captain.

First to complete the 'treble double'

The first player to accomplish the 'treble double' (3000 runs + 300 wickets) was Ian Botham when he bagged his 300th wicket - against West Indies at The Oval on August 9, 1984 in his 72nd Test. Just for the record, Botham had completed his 3,000 runs in 55 Tests, 4000 in 69 and 5,000 in 94.

Only two all-rounders to accomplish a triple of 3,000 runs, 300 wickets and 100 catches

Ian Botham (5200 runs, 383 wickets & 120 catches in 102 Tests) and Shane Warne (3154 runs, 708 wickets & 125 catches in 145 Tests) are the only two all-rounders to accomplish a triple of 3,000 runs, 300 wickets and 100 catches.

A hundred and five wickets in an innings in the same Test five times

Ian Botham is the only all-rounder in Test annals to post a hundred and take five wickets in an innings in the same Test five times - twice against New Zealand and once each against Pakistan, India and Australia.

A hundred and ten wickets in the same Test

The first all-rounder to register a hundred and bag ten or more wickets in the same Test match was Ian Botham. In the 1979-80 Golden Jubilee Test at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, Botham captured 6 for 58, registered 114 off 144 balls and then routed India's second innings by taking 7 for 48 off 26 overs. No other batsman posted a fifty in the Test.

Ian Botham's unique feat was emulated by Imran Khan at the Iqbal Stadium, Faisalabad in January 1983 when Pakistan's captain posted 117 and returned match figures of 11 for 180.

5000 runs and 500 dismissals as wicketkeeper

The only wicketkeeper to aggregate 5000 runs and make 500 dismissals in Test Cricket is South Africa's Mark Boucher - 5312 and 521 dismissals (499 catches + 22 stumpings) in 139 Tests.

First wicketkeeper to make a hundred and make five dismissals in an innings

South Africa's Denis Lindsay was the first to accomplish the feat against Australia at New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg on Decembner 23-28, 1966. He held six catches in the first innings and posted 182 off 227 balls in the second.

First and only wicketkeeper to aggregate 600 runs in a Test series

Denis Lindsay had aggregated 606 (ave.86.57) in seven innings (five Tests), including three centuries and two fifties against Australia in 1966-67. Just for the record, Lindsay is the only wicketkeeper to register three hundreds in a Test series.

Only captain-cum-wicketkeeper to effect 100 dismissals

India's Mahendra Singh Dhoni has effected 102 dismissals - 91 catches + 11 stumpings - in 27 Tests. He is the only one to achieve the distinction as captain-cum-wicketkeeper.

Consecutive tosses won

The record for winning the toss in most matches in succession is nine by Colin Cowdrey for England - two against West Indies in 1959-60; all five against South Africa in 1960 and two against Australia in 1961.

The only captain to have won all five tosses in a Test series twice

Garry Sobers is the first and only captain to have won all five tosses in a Test series twice - vs. England in 1966 and vs. New Zealand in 1971-72.

Captains with most Tests

Australia's Allan Border holds a record for having led in 93 Tests between December 7, 1984 and March 29, 1994. His unbroken sequence of 93 Tests as captain is unlikely to be surpassed.

The first fielder to hold 100 catches

Wally Hammond of England was the first fielder to hold 100 catches, reaching the landmark on July 25, 1939 against West Indies at Old Trafford, Manchester in his 76th Test.

The fewest Tests to reach a tally of 100 catches

Australia's Bobby Simpson holds a fielding record for having taken 54 Tests to reach 100 catches between December 1957 and December 1977.

Double century of catches as a fielder

Rahul Dravid is the first and only fielder to take 200 catches or more in Tests. He is likely to be the holder of this fielding record for a few years atleast. His present tally is 203 catches in 153 Tests.

Four catches in an innings as substitute

Pakistan's Younis Khan is the only substitute fielder to take four catches in a Test innings - all four off Danish Kaneria in Bangladesh's second innings at Multan in August 2001.

Most consecutive Test wins

Australia won sixteen Tests in succession twice - between October 14,1999 and February 27, 2001 and between December 26, 2005 and January 2, 2008. Both the times, their sequance was broken against India.

Most consecutive Test defeats

Bangladesh's sequence of 21 defeats in succession between November 2001 and February 2004, an unwanted record, is not likely to be surpassed in years to come.
July 21, 1884
Lord's staged its first ever Test match on July 21, 1884 when England played in the second Test and won by an innings and 5 runs. Australia's captain, Billy Murdoch became the first substitute fielder to take a catch in Tests, performing the feat while fielding for the opposition, W.G. Grace having injured a finger. Murdoch had caught fellow countryman Tup Scott.

Brothers posting a century each in both innings

Australia's Ian and Greg Chappell had provided the first and only instance of two brothers posting hundreds in each innings of a Test match. Ian had made 145 and 121 and Greg 247 not out and 133).

First bowler to take 100 wickets

Lancashire and England left-arm slow bowler Johnny Briggs was the first to take 100 Test wickets, accomplishing the feat in his 25th Test just before tea on the first day of the fourth Test against Australia at Sydney on February 1, 1895.

Most wickets taken by one bowler in a single day

In the 1888-89 Cape Town Test, England (292) had defeated South Africa (47 & 43) by an innings and 202 runs. Johnny Briggs claimed 15 wickets for 28 runs in the match - 7 for 17 in the first innings and 8 for 11 in the second - the most taken by one bowler in a single day's play. Six of his seven first innings wickets and all of his eight in the second were bowled. He captured all 15 wickets without the help of a fieldsman, the other one being lbw. In the second innings nine batsmen were bowled - the most in any Test innings - a feat repeated in the 1890 Oval Test. In Australia's second innings of 102, nine players were bowled out against England.

Most Test hundreds

Sachin Tendulkar holds a world record for registering most Test hundreds - 51 in 177 Tests. His run-aggregate of 14,692 (ave.56.94) is also a world record.

8000 Test runs overseas

Sachin is the only batsman to amass 8,000 runs away from home - 8145 (ave.56.95) in 98 Tests, including 29 hundreds.

800 wickets

Muttiah Muralitharan is the only bowler to take 800 wickets in Tests at an average of 22.72 in 133 Tests. His feats of 67 instances of five wickets in an innings or more and 22 instances of ten wickets or more in a Test match are not likely to be surpassed

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Lord's to crowd Eng-WI Test in 2012

A Test Match between England and the West Indies will be played at Lord's in 2012, ECB announce on Thursday.

It had been award the Test following a spirited tender process for bids by international venues.

However, the dates for next summer's Lord's Test match against West Indies will not be announced until the ECB has finalized the international match calendar for 2012 in its entirety.

The match, which had initially been awarded to Glamorgan CCC, was put back out to tender last month after the club advise ECB that it would be late in making its payment of the staging fee for hosting the recent England vs. Sri Lankan power Test Match in Cardiff.

West Indies are planned to visit England in May and June next summer for a three-match Test series follow by three NatWest Series One-Day Internationals and a NatWest International T20.

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Ranatunga lead to protest alongside SLC

Former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga helped launch a complaint on Thursday against alleged dishonesty in the governing body and the politicization of its management.

Ranatunga is now a resistance lawmaker in Sri Lanka and connected several others to launch a appeal on Thursday in Colombo, demanding an end to the government appoint interim committees to run Sri Lanka Cricket.

Cricket officials were accuse of corruption and misconduct as the governing body accumulate US$ 69 million in debt after co-hosting the World Cup with India and Bangladesh.

Sri Lanka's sports minister fired the preceding administration earlier this month and selected another temporary five-man committee.

Ranatunga said the government has politicized cricket and other sports by appoint provisional committees to run their administration.

"Sri Lanka Cricket has become broke and establishment has no interest in rectify this sad situation," he said.

He calls on the public "to join hands to stop political intrusion and restore the image of sports."

SLC has been run by consecutive interim committees, picked by politicians, for seven years.

The International Cricket Council this month generally decided to amend its laws to make free elections compulsory for all national bodies by mid-2012.

Sri Lankan establishment have said election for SLC will be held next year.

In March, the International Rugby Board poised the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union from full IRB member status after failing to conduct suitable board elections, and restored the membership weeks later after election were held properly.

Netball is also run by a temporary committee, but the sport's officials have said elections will be held shortly for the alliance.

Ranatunga, who played for Sri Lanka from 1982 to 2000, led the national team in 1996 when the team hit Australia in the final to win the World Cup.

Cricket is the most popular and wealthiest sport in the country, but internal strife among those seeking a spot on the Board and political interfering has resulted in elections for office holders not being held for seven years.

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Australian set as NZ bowling coach

Veteran Australian state fast bowler Damien Wright has been set as the final piece of the New Zealand cricket coaching mystery.

The 35-year-old was confirmed today as the New Zealand bowling coach, combination head coach John Wright and one more Australian, assistant Trent Woodhill.

Damien Wright was Victoria's bowling coach last summer but still played Sheffield Shield cricket, and also twisted out for Worcestershire in England this season. He has 123 first-class matches to his name over a 14-year career for Tasmania, Victoria, and five English counties, taking 406 wickets at 28.62.

He also made three cameo appearances for Wellington in the New Zealand Twenty20 opposition last season.

"It's fantastic. I'm pleased to bits. I'm looking onward to getting concerned, it was a huge chance and one I was thrilled to take," Damien Wright told The Dominion Post on Wednesday of his imminent appointment.

He said he was approach by former Australian coach John Buchanan, now NZC's director of cricket.

"I had a pair of interviews and a chat with John Wright and that go really well."

The New Zealand job became accessible last month after former South Africa fast bowler Allan Donald made a late U-turn to go back to his homeland to support Gary Kirsten with the Proteas.

Donald had a verbal agreement to carry on the role he took up in January, but NZC didn't secure his signature after the World Cup and he conventional Kirsten's offer soon after he was long-established as South Africa's head coach.

Coach John Wright said the selection is an exciting one for NZC and capitalises on years of experience playing first-class cricket and his work as bowling coach with Victoria.

"Damien comes highly regard by his peers and coaches in Australia. He is a coach on the rise and we are lucky to secure his services.

"As a player he made the most of his capability and got everything out of himself and they are character he will bring to his coaching.

"He will offer a lot to the team in terms of energy and eagerness and relate mainly well to the young fast bowlers."

The other leading contender for the New Zealand job was unspoken to be New South Wales bowling Coach Matt Nicholson. He played 124 first-class matches for NSW and Western Australia, and a solitary test against England at Melbourne in 1998.

Damien Wright begins on September 5 with the role base at NZC's high presentation centre at Lincoln in Christchurch.

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