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North Zone’s Duleep Trophy side may boast some splendid batsmen, but a target of 432 was always going to be out of reach for them, and West Zone duly won their match at Pune by a whopping margin of 178 runs.North had made it through to the close of play on the third day without losing any wickets, and the openers added a further 34 runs before they were separated. Vikram Rathour fell for 44 off 74 balls, with seven fours, to Sairaj Bahutule.Of the batsmen to follow, only Shafiq Khan even crossed 20, making 26 off 33. The show was dominated by Rathour’s opening partner, Akash Chopra. Remaining unbeaten, Chopra scored 119 off 257 balls, striking 18 fours in his knock.For West Zone, Irfan Pathan, Ramesh Powar and Bahutule were the successful bowlers. Pathan and Powar picked three wickets each, and Bahutule took 4-58, cementing his position as the player of the match. With a century and nine wickets, Bahutule proved to be the trump up West Zone’s sleeve.

Devon Smith raced to a career best score as West Indies A made an explosive start to their tour match with Lancashire at Liverpool. The visitors were well placed on 355 for eight before rain bought an early halt to proceedings.Chris Gayle chipped in with a dynamic fifty, while part-time seamer Ryan Driver claimed his first five wicket haul for Lancashire. West Indies A scored at over five runs-an-over for much of the day, and seemed thoroughly to enjoy their cricket.Smith, a Grenadian, had struggled in England. The 20-year-old had scored only 94 runs all tour (he has played in every match) prior to this innings. He doesn’t seem to have a problem with English conditions – he had an excellent trip with West Indies’ Under 19s last year – and this knock should serve him well for the remainder of the tour.Smith seems more settled at three than opening, and batted with encouraging flair. His unbeaten 167 came from 251 balls with 25 boundaries.Daren Ganga won the toss and chose to bat, with the West Indians immediatelytaking advantage of a below-par Lancashire attack. John Anderson’s first spell was lashed at eight runs an over. Ganga (11) was a virtual spectator as Gayle plundered 50 from 43 balls. He hit ten fours, the knock a mixture of bludgeoning shots and elegant flourishes.Keeper Jamie Haynes’ neat catch gave Anderson something to smile about, and sent Ganga back to the pavilion. Gayle was bowled by Driver, who also picked up Runako Morton and Ryan Hinds before lunch.Dwayne Bravo and Keith Hibbert failed to settle, though Hibbert batted overthree-quarters of an hour before missing a straight one from left-armer GaryKeedy.West Indies’ own left-arm spinner was in more destructive form. Sulieman Benn clubbed a quick-fire 31 with six fours as Smith opened up after he reached his century with a flurry of boundaries. The left-hander continued with an array of crisp timing; young talent Kyle Hogg was dispatched at over seven runs an over.Anderson, who exerted more control in the afternoon than he looked capable of in the morning, found Darren Powell’s edge to pick up a second wicket. Tino Best joined Smith, and the pair batted sensibly before the heavens opened.This performance, as well as Sunday’s demolition of Yorkshire, will perhapshelp the West Indians turn a corner in this tour. Quick-scoring stroke-making is more aesthetically pleasing than dour defence and timid collapses. It’s also more Caribbean. Long may it last.

Auckland may have the big cricketing names, but Central Districts had the spirit – and three heroic new chums – to bring them their astounding Shell Cup eight-wicket win over Auckland at Eden Park this afternoon.In their most inefficient and humbling effort of the season Auckland lost their 10 wickets in 25.5 overs for only 73 runs, only three runs short of their lowest score, against Northern Districts 13 years ago.After what appears to be a mix-up which extended the lunch break to 82 minutes, CD lost an early wicket, had a fright when misty rain appeared, but then cruised to their win at 75 for two wickets in 14.4 overs.Veteran Auckland cricket-watchers maintained at lunch they had never seen a weaker Auckland performance, but that did not give credit to the whole-hearted CD performance, headed by the deeds of Ewen Thompson and Andrew Schwass, the bowlers, and Bevan Griggs, the wicket-keeper.Thompson was in his first Shell Cup game, Griggs in his second after not getting a catch or a run in his first against Canterbury earlier in the month, and Schwass was the comparative old hand, after four Cup games this summer.Thompson was first in the limelight when he had Adam Parore, an experimental opener, caught by Griggs in his second over. Thompson struck again when Ben Smith took a dazzling gully catch to send back Lou Vincent, the other half of the Auckland opening gamble, and at 39 had Dion Nash caught by Griggs.Thompson finished with figures of 7-0-31-3, and was overlapped by an even more spectacular haul by Schwass, who is brisk medium-pace and not really of spectacular method.Schwass cut the heart out of the Auckland innings by dismissing Tama Canning (2), Kyle Mills (4) – both caught by Griggs – and Andre Adams (0) and eventually had Blair Pocock caught by Griggs after the Auckland skipper had hung about for 14 runs in 70 minutes from 41 balls while his team-mates disappeared from the other end.Facing an easy winning target, but worried about the low clouds over Auckland, the CD players and management were most annoyed when they found the lunch adjournment, supposed to run from 2-2.40pm after the short Auckland innings, was to be extended an extra 40 minutes.The first critical target was Sky Television, broadcasting the match live and with their planning schedule messed up by the sudden Auckland collapse. New Zealand Cricket supposedly had a hand in the delay.In the event Martin Crowe, the Sky executive producer, said he had nothing to do with the delay, and would have preferred to carry on with the regulation lunch-break.In the end it appears the match management apparently wanted more time to prepare lunch for the players and officials.After a slowish start Craig Spearman put his foot on the accelerator, hit three sixes and three fours in 34 runs from 24 balls, and CD hustled along through some light mist before reaching clear weather and their incredible win.It was just as well they wrapped up the match by 4.19pm. Fifteen minutes later some very substantial misty rain drifted over the ground. Had the match still been in progress there would have been every chance that CD, the bad-luck team of the competition with four washed-out games, might have suffered another heart-breaking.

A win, a win at last!And not just an ordinary win but one against opponents presently ratedsecond only to Australia, a win hard-fought and comprehensive, a winachieved through a team effort in which the bit players contributedeven more than the established stars.By defeating South Africa by 130 runs in the fifth and final Test atSabina Park yesterday, after the collapse of the last six wickets for46 in 15 overs after lunch, the West Indies ended a sequence of 13Tests and almost a year without a victory.In contrast, it was South Africa’s first loss in the same number ofTests.For the West Indies, there have been ten losses and a distressinglitany of chaos and controversy in that time. It makes a refreshingchange to be able to report something positive.It could not save a series already secured by South Africa throughvictories at Queen’s Park Oval and the ARG, and it was Shaun Pollock,not Carl Hooper, who stepped forward to collect the impressive new VivRichards Trophy at the end. But there was justified satisfaction forHooper’s first win as captain and for his players.The result was an appropriate parting gift for the great CourtneyWalsh who ended his celebrated career as he began it 17 years and 132Tests earlier against Australia at Perth, with a West Indies triumph.Inevitably, he was in the thick of things at the end, claiming two ofthe last three wickets with the second new ball to the delight of thesmall Sabina Park crowd that, only a year ago, was hailing him as hesurpassed Kapil Dev as Test cricket’s leading wicket-taker.Now he waved them goodbye for the last time from the middle and leftthe field to heartfelt hugs from West Indians and South Africansalike.As significantly, the win was a boost for the collective confidence ofthe generation to follow.They will depart for their next Test series, in Zimbabwe in July,unquestionably weakened by the loss of Test cricket’s highest wickettaker who was, once more, their most successful bowler in the series.But they are now assured they have the capacity to compete with thebest, a status not evident after their thrashings in England lastsummer and in Australia subsequently.For a long time yesterday it seemed as if the self-doubt that is theupshot of failure was again hindering the West Indies.It had often affected them during the series and, as Walsh and MervDillon trundled away ineffectively to mainly defensive field placings,South Africa’s overnight pair Neil McKenzie and Jacques Kallis solidlysettled.Cameron Cuffy had a bowl but did nothing to compensate for his earlierclumsy fielding. Dinanath Ramnarine took over from Dillon and, afterfour overs, Hooper replaced Cuffy.The closest the West Indies came to separating the pair was on an lbwappeal from Hooper against Kallis an hour and ten minutes into theday.Lunch was 20 minutes away when the breakthrough finally came.McKenzie, never entirely sure against Ramnarine, prodded forward tothe leg-break, failed to cover it sufficently and Leon Garrick snappedup the catch inches from the ground at silly point.McKenzie had defied the West Indies for four hours, 20 minutes for his51, yet South Africa still seemed on course for safety at 209 for fourat lunch, with Kallis entrenched with 51.Ramnarine changed that within four balls of resumption.Kallis, as always, had been keen to get after him before lunch, threetimes stepping down to lift him to the extra-cover boundary.Second ball into the second session, he was again on the attack,pulling. The ball was too close to him for the shot and he chopped itinto off-stump off the inside-edge, and the main stumbling block wasgone.Two balls later, Mark Boucher, who has had a miserable tour with batand gloves, reached forward to a leg-break and snicked to wicketkeeper Ridley Jacobs.These were match-winning blows and South Africa’s resistance crumbled.Once Lance Klusener and Pollock batted together for half-hour afterRamnarine’s double-strike, Hooper handed Walsh and Dillon the secondnew ball three-quarters of an hour into the final session.The outcome was still not certain, for the left-handed Klusener wasbeginning to find the middle of the bat for the first time in theseries with blows for which he is renowned and Pollock’s battingcredentials were obvious in a series average of over 100.This time, Pollock had nothing left. Dillon removed him to a catch toJacobs off a wild cut shot with his second delivery and, to universaldelight, Walsh claimed Justin Kemp first ball to a clear-cut lbwdecision.Next ball, Walsh’s fellow Jamaican Marlon Samuels, 18 years hisjunior, embarrassed himself and his former watching classmates atKingston College, by dropping Allan Donald at cover.It prolonged Walsh’s next wicket for a few minutes before he knockedout Donald’s middle stump, his 519th and, as it turned out, last Testvictim.It would have been fitting for Walsh to formalise the victory with awicket with his last ball in Test cricket. But West Indiansentimentality did not extend that far. They have had enoughdisappointments of late to care only about finishing off the match.It came 50 minutes before tea when last man Paul Adams skied a catchoff Dillon that Samuels, pedalling back from cover, this time caught.Then, and only then, could the celebrations begin.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Stafanie Taylor was in fine form with both bat and ball against South Africa•ICC/Getty

Stafanie Taylor led a dominating performance from West Indies in Galle, as they thrashed South Africa and qualified for the semi-finals. Taylor starred in an all-round effort, starting with her offspinners while opening the bowling. She bowled a miserly spell, conceding just 10 runs in four overs and picking up three wickets.South Africa were left reeling at 19 for 6 at one stage, and only a seventh-wicket stand of 46 helped save them from further humiliation. Dane van Niekerk (29) and Shabnim Ismail (16) resisted until they were both run out, and South Africa had to settle for just 70 in their 20 overs.West Indies completed a clinical victory, Taylor remaining unbeaten on 33 with the bat. She was part of an unbroken 71-run opening stand with Juliana Nero, and the pair took just 9.4 overs to seal victory.West Indies captain Merissa Aguilleira said the plan was to expose South Africa’s weakness against spin. “We know that they fancy pace on the ball and like the ball coming onto the bat. We decided to change the normal game-plan and force them to go for shots by using our slow bowlers,” Aguilleira said.She also praised Taylor’s contribution: “Stafanie showed today why she is among the best in the world at the moment and rated among the best women who have played international cricket. She led the way with the ball and came back to finish the job with the bat. She’s a class act and always gives her all for the team.”
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
New Zealand sealed their spot in the semi-finals on a day of one-sided contests in the women’s World Twenty20. They beat hosts Sri Lanka by eight wickets, following a collective bowling effort that set up an easy chase. Sri Lanka chose to bat but were jolted early in their innings, losing opener Yasoda Mendis in the third over. The only signs of promise were the second-wicket stand of 28 between Inoka Galagedara and Chamari Atapattu and of 29 between captain Shashikala Siriwardene and Dilani Surangika for the fourth wicket.But the batsmen only managed a highest score of 14 between them, and persistent strikes from the New Zealand bowlers ensured Sri Lanka were bowled out for 89. Sian Ruck, Erin Bermingham and Morna Nielson picked up two wickets each.New Zealand’s win wasn’t quite as comprehensive as what West Indies managed against South Africa, but it was still fairly clinical. Captain Suzie Bates fell early in the chase but Amy Satterthwaite made an unbeaten 32, supported by Sophie Devine’s 23. New Zealand lost just two wickets and completed the win in the 16th over.New Zealand, West Indies, Australia and England are the four semi-finalists, but the line-ups will be decided on October 1 – the last day of the league games.

Sui Northern Gas Pipeline LimitedSNGPL were the most successful team from last year, winning the President’s Trophy final after topping the table with six victories and three drawn games. Their success was largely reliant on the captaincy of Misbah-ul-Haq, with help from the likes of Mohammad Hafeez, Umar Akmal, Adnan Akmal, Azhar Ali and veteran first-class batsman Taufeeq Umar. At full strength, they are the most formidable side going into the tournament, but this year’s combination is likely to be inconsistent as their top players will be busy with the national side. Pakistan are currently in the UAE involved in a Test series against South Africa, and are scheduled to play Sri Lanka subsequently over the next two months. SNGPL also harbour some exciting young talents in wicketkeeper batsman Mohammad Rizwan and left-hand batsman Ali Waqas.Habib Bank LimitedHabib Bank bounced back strongly to capture second place last year, after being relegated to division two in the 2011-12 season (with the format later changing). They had won as many games – six – as SNGPL, but one loss put them below the champions with 51 points. They are a charismatic side, hosting two of Pakistan’s best young openers in Ahmed Shehzad and Shan Masood. In addition to a strong batting line-up, the Younis Khan-led side has Umar Gul and Abdur Rehman to prop up the bowling department. However, with their top players likely to be called up for national duty, Habib Bank’s efforts to create a winning outfit could be dentedNational Bank of PakistanA team well known for their flair, NBP could only finish seventh last year. They are the biggest department in the country, but success has been hard to come by, having last won the Quaid-e-Azam tournament in 1987. Consistency with the bat could remedy that statistic and Akbar-ur-Rehman, Fawad Alam and Nasir Jamshed are charged with that. Jamshed, in particular, will be keen to showcase his talent in the longer format, after being dropped from the Test side following the South Africa tour. Left-arm spinner Raza Hasan, whose international comeback had been delayed due to a back injury, will be expected to provide most of the breakthroughs.Pakistan International AirlinesIn recent years, Pakistan International Airlines have looked a different side under the leadership of former national captain Shoaib Malik. Their last first-class title was two years ago, but finished fourth last year with the advent of the new format. The squad does not want for experience with Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Sajid, Shoaib Khan and Jan Nisar on call. Zia-ul-Haq, a promising left-arm fast bowler, who last played for National Bank of Pakistan, will join Aizaz Cheema and Anwar Ali to make a potent bowling attack.United Bank LimitedHad a disappointing season last year, failing to win a single game and ending up at the bottom of the table. From being the top team in the Pakistan domestic circuit for a number of years, they missed 15 seasons of first-class cricket and only returned to top-grade competition in 2011. Their top scorer last year was Abid Ali, with 580 runs including one century and two fifties.Pakistan TelevisionA new recruit into grade one cricket, Pakistan Television were given direct entry after qualifying from the grade two level. Most of their players have been picked up from those who were left over from the other competing departments and their focus will be on getting acquainted with this level of cricket and settling in swiftly as possible.

A century from the opener Kelvin Smith, followed by a five-wicket haul by the legspinner Tom Andrews powered Australia Under-19s to a comprehensive 147-run victory over Zimbabwe Under-19s in Visakhapatnam.Smith smashed a total of 20 fours and one six during his 137-ball 139, and added 210 and 64 for the first and second wicket with Damien Mortimer and Jaron Morgan respectively. The pair played the ideal foils to Smith’s knock, with Mortimer making a patient 79 from 113 balls that included 10 fours and a six, while Morgan accelerated towards the end by blasting eight fours and four sixes during his 34-ball 70, to take Australia to a mammoth 329 in their 50 overs.Zimbabwe made a brief fight of the chase as the openers Dylan Nel and Joylord Gumbie raced to 84 inside 16 overs, but Andrews decimated their top order in quick succession and finished with 5 for 55, to end any chance of an unlikely Zimbabwe win.No other significant partnerships materialised, and the last eight batsmen made just 42 runs between them, as the offspinner Riley Ayre picked up the last three wickets to bowl Zimbabwe out for 182 in 35 overs.A 159-run stand for the fifth wicket between Sarfaraz Khan and Ricky Bhui made the difference in the end, as India Under-19s chased down 271 to complete a four-wicket win against South Africa Under-19s.The hosts were struggling at 93 for 4 after 15.4 overs, but Sarfaraz and Bhui counterattacked by smashing 29 fours and four sixes between them to take the attack to South Africa. Sarfaraz eventually departed in the 36th over for a quickfire 101 that came in just 66 deliveries, but Bhui remained unbeaten at 94 to take India home with 10.3 overs remaining.Electing to bat, South Africa had earlier got off to a slow start, losing two wickets for just 36 runs inside 11 overs. But Clyde Fortuin and Lloyd Brown added 124 for the third wicket to help take the visitors to 270 for 8. Fortuin struck 15 fours during his 99-ball 90, while Brown’s 69 included five fours and two sixes.Abhimanyu Lamba and Chama Milind picked up three wickets each for India.

Uncertainty remains over India’s tour to South Africa this summer after CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat and BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel met in Dubai. The pair held talks on Monday evening, while both were attending the ICC Chief Executives’ Conference, but did not reach any understanding on the number of matches or the dates for India’s tour. CSA said confirmation will only be reached after the BCCI’s AGM on September 29.Although CSA would be hopeful the BCCI arrives at a final decision by end of this month, the likelihood of a longer wait cannot be ruled out. ESPNcricinfo has learned that N Srinivasan, if he succeeds in extending his tenure as BCCI president for another year, will meet the CSA president Chris Nenzani at the ICC board meeting in London on October 16 and 17 to finalise the tour.The itinerary, as announced by CSA in July, contained three Tests, seven ODIs and two Twenty20s but India objected to it, saying it was without their consultation. They have since shortened the window for the tour, which was due to begin on November 18 and end on January 19 from 60 days to around 40 by a scheduling a home series against West Indies and bringing forward their tour to New Zealand.The time left may allow for the ICC minimum requirement of two Tests and three ODIs but the Dubai meeting gave no hint of that. Lorgat remains hopeful a solution will be found.”I am happy to say that we had a constructive meeting and I would like to thank Sanjay for his friendliness and support in trying to find a way forward,” Lorgat said. “After listening to Sanjay, it is clear that we will now have to wait for the BCCI’s AGM to be completed before any tour schedule can be confirmed.”The BCCI’s annual meeting could prove decisive in the finalisation of the tour dates, because it will determine the shape of the organisation’s leadership. It is widely expected Srinivasan will be re-elected.Srinivasan and Lorgat have a history of bitterness: Srinivasan requested an investigation into Lorgat by the ICC ethics committee, and they clashed over India’s request for a tax documents during the 2011 World Cup.No communication between the two boards was held between then and the Dubai meeting. What has come out of the BCCI is other fixtures – home Tests against West Indies to mark Sachin Tendulkar’s 200th Test and an ODI against New Zealand that is due to played on the last day of the Wanderers Test between India and South Africa. There is also talk of a tri-series between India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan due for late November.CSA have not commented either and as far as their affiliates are concerned, the schedule as announced, still stands. Even their ticket-selling partner, Ticketpros, has the fixtures listed as CSA publicised them although they can only be purchased from October 28.The relationship between CSA and the BCCI is considered to be at at all-time low but Lorgat’s statement seemed to suggest all is well. “It is key for all of us to make sure that the good relationship between our respective Boards is maintained and, in fact, strengthened and that we also honour the proud history between our two countries,” he said. “Our Board Presidents are also in discussion and we will now arrange for them to meet soon after the BCCI AGM.”

ScorecardLancashire maintained the pressure on Group B leaders Hampshire by beating them in a Yorkshire Bank 40 thriller at Old Trafford. The Lightning gained revenge for a Twenty20 quarter-final defeat by the Royals earlier this month with a five-run win that takes them within a point of the group pace-setters ahead of Monday’s final round of fixtures.A win for Hampshire away at Derbyshire would guarantee the defending champions a last-four place, but Lancashire stand to benefit from any slip-up if they beat Essex, who also remain in the hunt, at Old Trafford.Lancashire, who won the toss, put early pressure on under-strength Hampshire with a total of 261 for 9, built around half-centuries for Karl Brown, Steven Croft and opener Stephen Moore, who made scores of 66, 65 and 51 respectively. Offspinner Arron Lilley and Kabir Ali both took three wickets in Hampshire’s chase, including Ali defending 12 off the last over.It was a spirited performance from Hampshire, who were without four key players to international commitments. Michael Carberry, James Vince and Danny Briggs are all with the England Lions and Sohail Tanvir with Pakistan in Zimbabwe.Dimitri Mascarenhas took his best List A figures in more than 11 years – 5 for 42 – and 16-year-old off-spinner Brad Taylor returned 2 for 50. Taylor struck with his third ball on his 40-over debut when he had Moore caught behind. Brown and Croft shared a crucial 95-run stand for the fifth wicket to improve Lancashire’s score from 127 for 4 in the 20th over.Hampshire were behind the rate for the majority of their innings on a slow pitch even though they managed to keep wickets in hand. They needed 100 with 10 overs left and key men Neil McKenzie and Sean Ervine at the crease.They had shared 72 inside 10 overs for the fourth wicket, with McKenzie hitting 65 off 54 balls and Ervine 43 off 36. When McKenzie fell stumped to Lilley as the first of two wickets in two balls in the 35th over, Hampshire looked done. Liam Dawson followed to leave the score at 200 for 5.But Ervine kept them in touch before falling caught off an Ali full toss with the first ball of the 38th as the scored slipped to 228 for 6.Some impressive hitting from Adam Wheater and Mascarenhas took the equation down to 22 off the last two overs and 12 off the last before they also fell caught off Ali full tosses. Victory was Lancashire’s sixth in a row.

ScorecardSteven Moore got Lancashire’s chase off to a good start•Getty Images

New Zealand fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan hit a last ball boundary to give Lancashire a dramatic tie with Leicestershire at Grace Road.Chasing a victory target of 140, Lancashire needed 13 to win off the final over bowled by left arm spinner Shakib Al Hassan. Eight runs came off the first four balls but Shakib had Gareth Cross caught off the penultimate delivery, leaving five runs off one ball.McClenagahan faced his first ball needing to hit a six for victory or a four to tie and he obliged by clipping the ball to the deep backward square leg boundary as Lancashire finished on 139 for 9, exactly the same score as the Foxes.It was Lanashire’s second tie in the competition this season and leaves them in second place behind Nottinghamshire in the North Group. The result means Leicestershire must now win their last three games to have even the slightest chance of reaching the quarter-finals.Put in to bat the hosts made a woeful start to their innings, scoring only eight runs in the first three overs for the loss of Josh Cobb, brilliantly caught by Ashwell Prince off Glen Chapple. But Greg Smith and Joe Burns added 40 for the second wicket before Burns was caught and bowled by Kabir Ali.After that it was a case of the Foxes battling to post a competitive total on a slow paced pitch. Smith top scored with 45 off 42 balls and Shakib hit a quick-fire 23 off 16 balls with four boundaries.But the crucial knock came from Rob Taylor who smashed three sixes – two of them off McClenaghan – in a 15-ball innings that gave the Foxes something to defend. McClenaghan took 2 for 29 and Kabir 3 for 23.Lancashire looked on course for their fifth win when they were 48 for 1 at the end of the power-play. But some tight bowling from Taylor, who finished with a competition best of 4 for 23, Shakib (1 for 22) and Shiv Thakor (1 for 31), saw Lancashire lose their way.Wickets fell in clusters and in the end Cross was the top scorer with 28 until he was ninth out in the last over caught in the deep by Taylor off Shakib. But McClenaghan kept Lancashire in sight of a place in the quarter-finals with his last ball boundary.