AWESOME TRIUMPH FOR MEN OF THE MAPLE LEAF

"Awesome."

Canada's history already includes participation in one World Cup, of course. But that was a long 22 years ago and cricket in this country has not touched the same heights since. Until today.

This was a dominant performance, set up through the early stages by the accurate bowling of Sanjay Thuraisingham (5/25) and a cast of three hard-working spin bowlers as they joined to restrict the Scots to a modest 176/9. It was then sealed, ultimately with more than ten overs to spare, by means of a solid and consistent effort from the Canadian upper and middle order batsmen.

Jubilation for Canada, desolation for Scotland. It was another interesting day - the last - at this 2001 ICC Trophy tournament and a full report of it will follow.

ADVANTAGE REMAINS WITH CANADA AS END DRAWS NEAR

Chasing the dream of a first World Cup berth since 1979, the Canadians have played positively and aggressively from the outset of the afternoon session. Wickets were surrendered in the first and the fourteenth overs along the way and there has been the occasional close shave but the home team is thus far prolonging its general domination of the match.

Ishwar Maraj (45*) and Desmond Chumney (36) have been the leading lights, each eager to punish anything at all loose from the Scottish attack and accumulating singles with intelligent placement all the while. Chumney's intent did eventually bring him undone, a leading edge carrying low to George Salmond at short cover as he looked to force a Keith Sheridan (1/22) delivery into the leg side.

Maraj has continued on from where his partner in a valuable second wicket union of 56 runs left off, though. After an early struggle against the Scottish pacemen, his confidence has grown noticeably as his opponents have turned to the spin bowling duo of Sheridan and by Gregor Maiden (0/15), whose best impersonations of Colin Miller with his suddenly-dark hair have yielded nothing in the way of wickets to date. Maraj has batted with such authority in recent minutes, in fact, that the locals now only need to score at less than three runs per over for the remainder of the match to secure victory.

Leading from the front with a number of characteristically valiant saves inside the circle and an excellent catch to remove Chumney, Scottish captain George Salmond is desperately trying to revive his team's cause. Even under the thick blanket of grey cloud hovering above the ground, however, the Scots are struggling to give of their best with the ball as they defend their increasingly modest-looking target. Only a surprising sting in the tail of this match will avert the disaster of them slipping to fourth place in this championship.

CHUMNEY REINFORCES LOCALS' ADVANTAGE

The Canadian innings began in disastrous fashion when pinch-hitting opener John Davison (0) fell to a juggled catch behind the wicket after neither pinching nor hitting the bowling of John Blain (1/21) from the Clubhouse End. Blain beat Davison in the first over as the right hander mistimed a pull and sent a chance spearing low to wicketkeeper Colin Smith's left off a thin bottom edge.

But the audible groans emanating from a noisy and unashamedly partisan crowd soon turned to cheers again as the aggressive Chumney and the more subdued Maraj embarked on their partnership.

Chumney appears to have decided that any ball even remotely straying for length or width is worthy of treatment, several swashbuckling drives over the infield emanating from his bat through the early overs. The powerfully built right hander not so much eases into his shots as fairly throws his bat and weight behind them and the audience has greeted his intent with great acclamation. Maraj is playing in a much more defensive mode and the pair have complemented one another well.

For their part, the Scots maintained fine line and length at the outset but have increasingly lost their way as Chumney has launched into his assault. Blain has already been relieved by James Brinkley (0/6) at one end, and David Cox (0/21) has been expensive at the other. The fielding is typically sharp, but wickets are needed and with urgency.

CANADIAN BOWLERS ASSUME HONOURS FROM OPENING SESSION

Around a gritty century partnership for the fourth wicket between Drew Parsons (48) and George Salmond (43), the clatter of three quick wickets at the start of the innings and then the rapid disappearance of another trio of batsmen in the middle stages scuttled the Scots' best-laid plans of constructing a big total. Each of those two batsmen played well, especially through the off side, but there was little in the way of appropriate support. As they swung out in the death throes of the innings, Craig Wright (25) and John Blain (14) were the only other players to venture into double figures.

On the whole, the Canadians' bowling was impressive. After a heavy overnight downpour, the outfield here was not its usually blindingly quick self and the pitch did not always play as truly as it has done in earlier games. But full credit should be given to the majority of the attack: the line was unerring and the length precise from both the quick and the slow bowlers for the vast bulk of the innings.

Sanjay Thuraisingham (5/25) set the tone early - and also produced the best figures as he added two more wickets in the final over of the innings - but left arm spinner Barry Seebaran (0/22) was not far behind in terms of being the pick of the attack. As it has been throughout this tournament, his control was impeccable albeit that he went without claiming a wicket. Both of the missed stumpings came from his bowling and he generated several other half-chances. Though he has rarely introduced himself as a bowler in recent times, the off spin of captain Joe Harris (2/28) also proved mightily effective on a surface receptive to both bounce and turn.

The fielding was more of a mixture: there were excellent catches from Muneeb Diwan at mid off and Ian Billcliff at long off as he came several metres to his right. But wicketkeeper Ashish Bagai squandered two stumping chances as Parsons ventured out of his crease and there were a number of misfields inside the thirty metre circle. Even the captain was not immune on the latter count; several fumbles coming from Harris behind the wicket as the batsmen scampered their way through for risky-looking singles.

THURAISINGHAM'S SIZZLING START TO QUALIFIER CONTINUES

Before being rested in the host nation's final match of the Super League phase of the tournament, Thuraisingham (3/15) had been a model of consistency, snaring fourteen wickets at the low cost of eighteen runs apiece. But it's doubtful that he will have bowled any more important a set of six overs in his career than the one he produced here this morning as he claimed the wickets of Greig Williamson (5), Douglas Lockhart (8) and Colin Smith (6) to rock the Scotland innings to its core.

Thuraisingham's method is not complicated nor high maintenance - he comes off around a twenty metre run-up and concentrates primarily on bowling a disciplined line on and around off stump - yet he has confounded the Scotland upper order brilliantly this morning. It was in his sixth over that the real damage was done: he surprised Lockhart as it began with a rearing delivery that spat wickedly off a length, inducing a top edged hook on to which John Davison ran enthusiastically a few metres back from his position at square leg. Then just three deliveries later, he struck a critical blow, tempting the in-form Smith to square drive an outswinger straight into the safe hands of Nicholas Degroot at cover point.

In the period since, Scotland captain George Salmond (25*) and Drew Parsons (26*) have joined to mount a determined unbroken liaison of 58 runs for the fourth wicket. Salmond has played in especially feisty manner, defending well-aimed deliveries contentedly off the line of stumps and glancing and nudging bad balls serially into gaps on both sides of the wicket.

But it still hasn't been a period devoid of anxious moments for the Scots, either. With his score at 6, Salmond survived a beeseching appeal for a catch at silly point from the bowling of off spinner John Davison and then endured similarly loud howls for his departure at 22 when he edged a Barry Seebaran delivery just short of Joe Harris at slip. Hopes of a Scottish recovery could nonetheless be placed in far worse hands than his.

Parsons' heart was also likely in his mouth at 11 when he punched a delivery from medium pacer Nicholas Degroot toward Desmond Chumney at cover, only to see the ball drop a matter of inches in front of the despairing fieldsman.

CANADIAN BOWLERS MAKE IMPRESSIVE BEGINNING

The two sides are battling it out in a winner-take-all affair for the last spot on offer in the 2003 World Cup in South Africa and the match has started in an accordingly tight fashion. In cool and overcast conditions, Thuraisingham (1/12) and new ball partner Davis Joseph (0/12) have produced controlled opening spells, conceding precious little in the way of run-scoring deliveries.

For the most part, the Scots have played watchfully in response, the pattern broken only by two edged strokes through the slip cordon and by a lapse in concentration that cost Greig Williamson (5) his wicket. That blow came in the fourth over when Thuraisingham lured him into driving at an overpitched delivery outside the line of off stump. At mid off, Muneeb Diwan initially looked to have slightly misjudged the catch but composed himself well, thrust his right hand above his head, and plucked the ball from its trajectory with ease.

Predictably, there is strong crowd support for Canada and almost every dot ball is even being applauded by one small contingent of flag-brandishing fans at the Southern End. With numbers expected to build during the day, it could be a very noisy environment by the match's conclusion at the revised time of seven o'clock tonight.

LATE START TO QUALIFYING FINAL

But the ground staff here at the Toronto Cricket Skating and Curling Club have remarkably been able to facilitate the prospect of play in the World Cup Qualifying Final between Canada and Scotland within 45 minutes of the scheduled start time.

There will be no reduction to the number of overs that each side will face; instead, it is only the playing times have undergone amendment. The lunch break will be taken at 3pm and will last for thirty minutes; the second innings of the match therefore set to commence at 3:30pm and carry through, if necessary, until 7pm. Under the playing conditions in vogue for this tournament, play can also be carried over into tomorrow's reserve day if there are any further unscheduled interruptions.

Although conditions are likely to be more treacherous than usual at this beautiful ground, the Scots have won the toss and decided to bat first. They have named a team with only one change to it from that which took the field in their last match - against Namibia in the closing contest of their Super League campaign on Friday. Pace bowler David Cox has been elevated in order to replace Asim Butt, who is still suffering the effects of a slight calf strain.

Having shuffled around with their line-up for a dead rubber against Ireland on Friday, the hosts have meanwhile effected three alterations to their eleven. Batsman Nicholas Degroot and fast bowlers Sanjay Thuraisingham and Davis Joseph return, at the expense of Austin Codrington, Melvin Croning and Nicholas Ifill.

There is a respectable crowd on hand, although numbers are a little down on what had been anticipated. The combination of the inclement weather and the fact that this is a working day in Toronto looks to be chiefly responsible for this.

© CricInfo

Date-stamped : 18 Jul2001 - 02:31