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Scorecard
The action has become hotter with every day of this engrossing match at Headingley, and the stage is set for a grandstand finish on the final day. Yorkshire, partly through misfortune but more due to their own lack of application, failed to set Somerset the inaccessible target they were aiming for, while the visitors finished the day with a sound platform in place from which to launch their bid for victory.The morning session belonged to Somerset, after Yorkshire began the day at 26 for 1. Their fightback was led by the South African allrounder Alfonso Thomas, who bowled superbly from the Rugby Stand end in a prolonged spell. He beat Joe Sayers a couple of times in the opening over of the day with movement away from the bat, and after 17 minutes found the edge of the nightwatchman Matthew Hoggard’s bat, removing him for 4. Sayers batted very dourly, taking 57 balls to reach double figures. Anthony McGrath was more aggressive, but Thomas reserved one of his best deliveries for the Yorkshire captain, producing a very fast ball that moved away slightly and spectacularly removed the off stump.Andrew Gale appeared to be in fine form, driving fluently and taking only 14 balls to catch Sayers, who at that stage had 17. Then Justin Langer produced either a lucky gamble or a masterstroke of captaincy, whichever way one looks at it. He replaced Thomas with the erratic legspinner Michael Munday; Gale hammered him for two boundaries on the off side and then pulled a full toss powerfully to the midwicket boundary, or he would have done had not Peter Trego launched himself to his right to hold an amazing one-handed airborne catch. Gale had made 30 off 22 balls.With the arrival of the debutant Jonathan Bairstow, Langer immediately returned to Thomas, but this time without success as the bowler was tiring. Charl Willoughby was not at his best before lunch, but Trego stepped into the breach with an impressive spell, including the wicket of Sayers, who turned a catch to midwicket. His 18 had taken 95 balls and Yorkshire were 92 for 5.The next hero to take the stage was Bairstow. He began with great caution, in partnership with Gerard Brophy, but the latter was out just before lunch, lbw to a straight ball from Peter Stiff. The latter, however, did not bowl well, though he produced a sudden good ball that Tim Bresnan slashed into the slips; Marcus Trescothick knocked it up and then superbly grabbed the rebound. With Yorkshire 133 for 7, the game at this stage was very much like the traditional parson’s egg: the Somerset bowling a mixture of good quality and real dross, some brilliant Somerset catches, and too many unworthy strokes from the Yorkshire batsmen as Bairstow dug in to play a very determined and mature innings.Bairstow suddenly went up a few gears, reaching 25 with a most unexpected straight six off Stiff. He ran smoothly now to reach 50 off 108 balls, but enjoyed limited support from the tail until the last man David Wainwright joined him at 193 for 9. It is strange that Wainwright, having finished last season with a century against Sussex, should come in last for Yorkshire now, but he batted positively for a while, despite an escape in the slips on 16. Bairstow had already enjoyed the one escape of his innings on 51, just after Wainwright’s arrival, a very difficult swirling chance beyond the covers. Suddenly Somerset’s fine catching deserted them.There were visions of a debut century for the red-haired batsman, but when he had 82 Wainwright had a wild slog off a rather wide ball from Munday and skied a catch, to close the innings for 248. Munday’s bowling seems to inspire lunacy in the opposing batsmen, or so it has seemed in this match, where all four of his wickets have come from bad balls. Bairstow left the field to a standing ovation, the last wicket having added 55, a very significant number in a match boiling up to a possible close finish. Willoughby, bowling better during the afternoon, finished with three wickets.Yorkshire themselves suffered a serious lapse when Gale at second slip was unable to hold a low chance from Trescothick when the latter had 12. Soon afterwards, though, Ajmal Shahzad in his first over beat Anul Suppiah for pace and knocked back his middle stump for 15. But the silly batting for the day was over, and the tide began to turn against Yorkshire once more. Wainwright, a crucial player as a left-arm spinner in the fourth innings, hurt his bowling hand and had to leave the field, while Brophy also went off with a hand injury, Bairstow taking over behind the stumps. Well as Shahzad and Bresnan bowled, they found Trescothick and Langer digging in and biding their time. The former began to flow more freely and reached his 50, off 85 balls, just before the close. The pair have done a fine job for the team, but there could be yet more twists in this fascinating match before the final ball is bowled.

Ryan Harris, the Australia fast bowler, who recently signed up with Surrey and will represent them in the County Championship, has said he is hoping to impress Australian selectors during his stint in the English domestic season.”It’s in the back of my mind, obviously, but there’s a few guys in front of me,” he told BBC London 94.9. “If I’m here and performing well and the selectors want to look at me then it saves on the flight over, I guess.”Harris, who replaced New Zealand’s Grant Elliot as Surrey’s overseas player, made his ODI debut in January against South Africa at home, but missed the rest of the season as a result of a foot injury. He was a part of the victorious Deccan Chargers team in the IPL, playing eight games and capturing six wickets at 38.33.Harris was due to play his first County Championship fixture for Surrey on Saturday against Glamorgan, but the first day was abandoned due to persistent rain. However, he was looking forward to the experience. “It’s obviously a new thing for me having never played county cricket before,” he said. “To be at a club like Surrey, that have been such a good club in English cricket, is a great honour.”It’s something I’ve always wanted to do and it’s great to be here. It has been a dream to come and play in county cricket, to come and experience the gruelling schedule and a good example of that is coming up in the next three weeks.”Harris expressed his keenness to play competitive cricket while his domestic team Queensland spent its time training for the Australian cricket season which doesn’t start until later in the year. “It’s going to be a test but that’s why I’m here. I want to play cricket. My Queensland team-mates are training at home but they’re catching and doing drills and I want to play cricket, which is why I’m here.”The injury which had ruled him out earlier in the year, Harris believed, was now long behind him. “Coming from Twenty20, where I bowled a fair bit, to four-day cricket is a bit of a step but it’s not as if I’ve come from nothing into playing three or four-day games,” he said. “I feel good, the body feels good, my foot feels good and the jetlag’s not that bad at the moment so I’m just ready to go.”

A 113-year-old bat used by WG Grace will be auctioned at Sotheby’s in London next month for an expected £30,000. The legendary cricketer used the bat while bringing up his 1,000th run in Test cricket against Australia at Lord’s in June 1896.Grace subsequently gave the bat to his Australian opponent Syd Gregory, who in turn passed it on to his fellow tourist and brother-in-law Harry Donnan on their return to Australia.”I would expect it to go for somewhere in the region of £25,000-30,000,” said auctioneer Graham Budd. “From the evidence of the cording, Grace had probably used this bat for some time, culminating in his 1,000th Test run.”The bat, to be sold on May 12, displays the autographs of Grace’s England colleagues, Australian bowler Fred Spofforth and future British prime minister David Lloyd George.Grace played 22 times for England and scored the country’s first Test hundred against Australia, at the Oval in 1880, and was named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1896. Although an automatic choice for England at home, his professional duties as a doctor meant he only travelled on one Test-playing tour of Australia, in 1891-92.

Group D

Habib Bank registered a comfortable 111-run with over Lahore Eagles at the Lahore City Cricket Association Ground. Younis Khan made an unbeaten 126 and received excellent support from Khaqan Arsal and Shahid Afridi – both scored half-centuries – as Habib Bank piled up 311 for 3. Younis’ innings was laced with six fours and two sixes while Afridi struck some lusty blows towards the end. Lahore Eagles slipped to 53 for 3 in reply and though Muntazir Mehdi and Sheraz Butt helped them recover somewhat with a 87-run fourth-wicket partnership, they were always behind the asking rate. The innings folded for 200 with Shahid Nazir and Abdur Rehman bagging three wickets each.Karachi Zebras collapsed to an 88-run defeat against Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited at the Gaddafi Stadium, while chasing a target of 239. They lost their first two wickets for 19 after which a 54-run stand between Fahadullah Khan – who top-scored with 48 – and captain Sheharyar Ghani lent the innings some stability. However, things went downhill from then on as the Karachi batsmen failed to offer much resistance, losing their next seven wickets for 77 to be bowled out for 150. Yasir Shah, the legspinner, took 3 for 26. Earlier, SNGPL were struggling at 78 for 4 before a 104-run partnership between captain Misbah-ul-Haq – he made 61 – and Khurram Shehzad helped them post a competitive score. Mansoor Ahmed’s leg spin fetched him a five-for, but his effort went in vain.

Jacob Oram, the New Zealand allrounder, has said he will pull out of the IPL if he does not recover from his Achilles tendon injury before the first-class championship game starting April 5.Oram was excluded from the New Zealand squad for the three-Test series against India after the selectors felt he had not yet regained complete match fitness. He played for Central Districts against Canterbury last week but could not bowl in the second innings because of pain in his foot. He was advised to miss his team’s ongoing match against Auckland but said he was “pretty confident” of making the final. Central Districts and Auckland will meet for the final in Lincoln.”I can understand people thinking I’m cotton-woolling myself but I’ll definitely take myself out [of the IPL] if I don’t get through the final,” Oram told the . “I’m pretty confident I will make the final and I won’t be tiptoeing through five days of cricket. I’m going to hit it hard, and deep down I think I’ll be okay.”He said he had played against Canterbury to see if he could speed up his return to the Test side for the Napier Test. “… clearly I wasn’t ready. The injury is back again but it’s not a train smash, I’m not back to square one but it’s a setback. It’s more like two steps forward, one step back.”Oram was keen to return to be part of the IPL – he is a member of the Chennai Super Kings squad – and the World Twenty20 that follows immediately after in June. “The next two to three months are massive for me. I want to be part of both of those. Watching the guys play the first two Tests against India has been bloody tough on me. It’s very hard, emotional at times. Believe me I want to get back more than anyone realises.”

Steve Magoffin, the Western Australia fast bowler, will fly to South Africa as cover for Australia’s struggling attack following niggling injuries to Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle. The squad has already been expanded by Brett Geeves, who is there in case Doug Bollinger fails to recover from a stomach problem in time to be considered for Friday’s second Test in Durban.Siddle and Hilfenhaus played key roles in Australia’s opening victory in Johannesburg as the inexperienced line-up out-gunned the home team. However, Siddle’s left foot is aching following the game – he spent most of January out with a similar injury – and Hilfenhaus, who made his debut, has lower-back soreness.”With such a short turnaround between the first and second Test, the panel has taken the precaution of adding another bowler to the squad,” the chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch said. “Steve Magoffin has been added as a stand-by player, but that being said he has been a consistent cricketer in the Australian interstate competition for a long time now.”Magoffin, a tall bowler capable of gaining uncomfortable bounce, currently sits second on the wicket list for the Sheffield Shield with 38 and has 191 first-class victims at 27.90. “I can’t quite believe it’s happened,” Magoffin told AAP at Perth airport. “I’m over the moon and can’t wait to go over there.”At the moment I’m just going over as cover for Peter Siddle. I haven’t been given too much of an indication of whether I’ll be playing or not, I’ll just make my way over and see what happens when I arrive.”Siddle and Hilfenhaus will continue to receive treatment in the lead-up to the second game. The young attack was chosen for the tour due to long-term injuries to the regulars Brett Lee and Stuart Clark.

Attempts by Cricket Canada to gloss over the sudden removal of Atul Ahuja as chief executive at the end of January have been blown away by the resignation of Mike Kendall as the board’s first vice-president.Ben Sennik, the chairman, had brushed aside suggestions that Ahuja’s departure came about because of fundamental differences between the two of them, but in a brief statement Kendall made clear that was at the root of his decision.In a one-paragraph letter to Sennik, he wrote: “Due to consistently substantial difference of opinion, on important policy matters and the direction of Cricket Canada under your leadership, I am hereby resigning … effective immediately.”Whereas Ahuja has kept below the radar since he left, probably because of contractual obligations, Kendall, who was in a non-paid role, will have no such restrictions, and Sennik now faces some tough questions as to what is really going on behind the scenes.

South Africa will aim to lift their sluggish over-rates in the CB Series after struggling to maintain the required pace during both Twenty20 losses. The captain Johan Botha was fined 10% – 5% for the other players – of his match fee after the defeats in Melbourne and Brisbane.Botha is relatively inexperienced in the role and at times had trouble gaining the attention of his fielders at the Gabba. “They weren’t watching me as closely as they should,” he said after the six-wicket loss.He said it was one of the reasons why the game slowed down when South Africa were in the field. “It’s part of it, and part of it is bowlers getting to the start of their mark and not being sure what to do – and then you have to change the field,” he said. “The match referee came to me before the second game and said one of our bowlers took three minutes from the end of the previous over in Melbourne to bowl their first ball.”That’s something we need to sharpen up on and maybe get a few more overs from JP Duminy. It’s not easy, getting wickets and the ball going to the boundary, and the sightscreen changing. Hopefully the match referee will look at that [after the Brisbane game].”Graeme Smith’s hand and elbow injuries left Botha in charge of the one-day squads and his major problems are not being able to overcome Australia and dealing with the over-rates. Botha, who led the team in three ODIs last year, said he was growing in the role and expected the team to compete well in the five-match series, which starts at the MCG on Friday.”In Melbourne I was quite nervous but [in Brisbane] I was a lot more relaxed,” he said. “I really enjoy the challenge. When Graeme Smith is ready again he will take over, so I’m just the stand-in at the moment and I’m enjoying every moment. I’ll just give it my best shot.”The last time Botha was in Australia with the national team in 2005-06 he was targeted by the crowds because of his suspect action, which resulted in a significant remodelling so his offspin could be cleared by the ICC. He is having more fun in the country this time.”So far it’s been great,” he said. “If I can get a wicket it will get better, but it’s been a lot better so far.”

The momentum behind Graham Ford, the Kent director of cricket, as a successor to Peter Moores as England coach is growing after Kent’s captain Robert Key said there would be “no way he could turn it down” if the offer came his way.The ECB are not going to rush into appointing a replacement for Moores, who was sacked last week at the height of the drama that resulted in him and Kevin Pietersen losing their jobs, and have instead installed an interim coaching structure – headed by Andy Flower – for the tour of West Indies. The board will officially advertise the head role later this week and Ford is expected to be one of the names applying.Key said that Ford, who turned down the India job in 2007, would be able to bring the best out of the England team which hasn’t gelled as a unit in recent times.”At Kent he has been fantastic,” Key told . “I’ve never really heard anyone say a bad word about the bloke. It’s not just that he’s liked by everyone but he’s highly respected for what he does for people.”When he got the job here I was on tour in South Africa and Shaun Pollock spoke very highly of him and thought we were lucky to get a coach of his quality,” he added. “To work with a bunch of talented cricketers like the England team have at the minute, Graham Ford would be the perfect man for that. He has a way of getting the best out of everyone.”I think in the back of his mind he’s looking forward to the challenge of possibly trying to do it and get involved with England. He’s had India after him and they offered the job but he turned it down for family reasons. If England did offer him the job, there’s no way he could turn it down.””It’s good for Kent cricket that our director of cricket is in the frame like this,” Paul Millman, Kent’s chief executive, told Sky Sports. “Graham is quiet, assertive and efficient, and if an opportunity arose to work with England we would be supportive.”Key, himself, was also touted in some quarters as a possible solution to England’s captaincy issues with Shane Warne saying he would have made an ideal choice. But Key, who hasn’t played Tests since 2005, isn’t taking such ideas too seriously and said that Andrew Strauss was the right way to go.”I’ll settle for that,” Key said of Warne’s suggestion. “The one thing they [the ECB] are not going to do is make big decisions at the minute. They are going to see how Andrew Strauss does but for me, his record as captain has been fantastic.”Personally, what an honour it would be to even be asked to do that job. But realistically it’s going to be tough for someone to get the job when you’re not in the team.”Key will captain the England Lions on their tour of New Zealand next month so is clearly still in the selectors’ thoughts and is just focussing on earning another chance at the top level.”No matter how good a captain you are, you’ve got to have the respect of your players,” he said. “It’s going to be tough, as much as I have a few friends in that side, as I’ve got to prove to people I can play international cricket.”

Match facts

January 4-7, 2009
Start time 9.30am (0400 GMT)

Big Picture

With experience, star value, history and mental edge on their side, Mumbai start as favourites but they will be looking forward to settling scores with Saurashtra, who have proved to be a hurdle in the last two years for the 37-time champions. Last season Mumbai were denied a semi-final berth after they failed to break the resistance built by Shitanshu Kotak. During the league phase this season, Mumbai were forced to follow on in Rajkot after three top-order Saurashtra batsmen recorded big centuries. That was the only game Mumbai came out second in their campaign. What makes Mumbai favourites is the presence of Sachin Tendulkar and Zaheer Khan. Mumbai won the championship when they last represented the team in the final of 2006-07 season.But Saurashtra have some spirited youngsters to counter Mumbai’s might. Jaydev Shah, their captain, admitted Saurashtra faced a stiff challenge especially with the addition of Tendulkar and Zaheer, but he said his team could look Mumbai in the eye if they remained focussed.

Form guide

(last five games, most recent first)
Mumbai: WWWWD
Saurashtra: WWLWD

Players to watch out for

Shitanshu Kotak, Saurashtra’s senior-most player, proved his worth in the quarter-final against Karnataka, where they needed 315 on the final day. More renowned for his tedious innings, Kotak transformed his batting and his 163-run fourth-wicket partnership with Cheteshwar Pujara helped take them into the semis. Last year his 796-minute epic of 168 in the final league game sapped Mumbai’s energies as they lost on the first-innings lead.Zaheer Khan-Dhawal Kulkarni are Mumbai’s two go-to men. This pair can destroy any opposition. The unique thing about the duo is their ability to strike early and at any time of the day. Zaheer has proved his versatility in all forms of the game with his movement in the air and off the pitch with both the new and the old ball. Kulkarni, the third highest wicket-taker this season (34), has picked up a wicket in his first over on six occasions. His accuracy is another factor that has rocked various oppositions in his debut season.Cheteshwar Pujara looked forward to the prospect of facing Zaheer at Chepauk. Curator K Parthasarathy said the pitch would sport a tinge of green and Pujara could be tested by Zaheer & Co. He has a whopping 867 runs at 86.70 in the Super League this season. His 112 not out enabled Saurashtra to score a sensational win, chasing 325, against Karnataka in the quarter-final in Mumbai. His runs have been scored at a creditable strike-rate of 72.12. “I want to deliver in all formats,” he said. Pujara’s four three-figure Ranji innings this year include a triple-century. On Pujara rest much of Saurashtra’s hopes.

Team news

Mumbai have already announced their 12, benching Sahil Kukreja, Usman Malvi and Ankit Chavan. But as Wasim Jaffer admitted today, it will be a “tough choice” to decide on the final XI. Form might be the key and indications are it will eventually be a choice between two senior members: Amol Muzumdar and Sairaj Bahutule. Muzumdar, who needs a further 42 runs to become the highest run-maker in the Ranji Trophy, has a lone century in the eight games. But he might get picked over Bahutule, who has struggled to find rhythm (only nine wickets in six games) and has been reduced to a part-time spinner.Mumbai: Wasim Jaffer (capt), Vinayak Samant (wk), Ajinkya Rahane, Sachin Tendulkar, Rohit Sharma, Amol Muzumdar, Abhishek Nayar, Ramesh Powar, Ajit Agarkar, Zaheer Khan, Dhawal Kulkarni.With no injury worries, Saurashtra are likely to retain the same line-up that overwhelmed Karnataka in the quarter-final.Sauarashtra: Jaydev Shah (capt), Bhushan Chavan, Chirag Pathak, Shitanshu Kotak, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ravindra Jadeja, Sagar Jogiyani (wk), Kamlesh Makwana, Sandeep Jobanputra, Jayesh Odedra, Balkrishna Jadeja.

Pitch & conditions

Chennai is experiencing a pleasant winter with the mercury hovering in early-30s. The curator has predicted a sporting pitch but on the slower side. Though there is a smattering of grass, spinners will likely gain prominence from day three onwards.

Quotes

“Cheteshwar Pujara is capable of scoring big hundreds and his wicket is important. But we have more experience of playing at this level.”
.”Mentally they have the edge due to the addition of the two [Tendulkar and Zaheer] but we have to give 200%.”
.”We don’t need to be wary about Sachin and Zaheer but others have done well that’s why they are in semis. They are definitely the stronger side even if we have done well against them in the last three games but they two were not there.”
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