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Stephen Fleming says his team must learn from this “hiding” and called it a performance that would send “tremors around the world”. He shared his thoughts at the post-match press conference where John Bracewell answered questions about criticism in New Zealand and the difference between his Test and one-day records.

Stephen Fleming admitted that it had been a tough learning curve for the team© Getty Images

Stephen FlemingOn the series result
It’s certainly disappointing. It’s a comprehensive display by Australia, one of the most comprehensive I’ve seen. They’ve gone up another level and some of the bowling during the series was superb. We lacked a bit of sting in our bowling.On his side’s performances
I’m absolutely concerned about some of them. We have deserved the criticism. There have been sessions that have been exasperating for us all. We knew we had to compete in every session. The first two days were fine, then the ante got lifted and we didn’t turn up for the next seven. A tough learning curve for the team.On whether any team can challenge Australia
Teams are going to have their days and have opportunities to win matches, but day-in day-out this team is by far the most superior around. Their displays have been as we expected, but there’s more developing to come. It’s scary.On teams to compete with Australia
England are licking their lips and deserve to be full of anticipation. Teams are comparing themselves against Australia and the standard is improving, but at some stage there’s going to be a group of guys who can match them. England will have to perform extremely well to compete, but they have the personnel to do that.On facing Australia
The pressure they created was pretty telling and there were mistakes made from players who normally wouldn’t make those mistakes. Every time they play this well they send tremors round the world. We’ve only got a short period before we have another crack at it and that’s exciting.On any positives from the losses
You’ve got to be professional and understand the hiding we’ve taken and walk away a better side for it. I look at how much the players have learnt. You’ve got to look at how well the Australians have played and try and learn something from it. We’ve got a group of young bowlers, and even in my situation I’m still learning from these players.John BracewellOn criticism of him in New Zealand
I must accept the fact, it’s an accountability process and we’ve lost two Tests in Australia in a row. We haven’t lived up to the standard of a wicket that is one of the best Test pitches I’ve ever seen.On the differences between his Test and one-day record
I don’t let it distract me from my core purpose to lift the side and the individuals within the side. It’s a side that has found Test cricket tough over the past 12 months and is endeavouring to put it right.On the game and mental weakness
We recognise that the third innings is something that has plagued us. Everyone wanted to win the toss here and 500 is what you wanted to get. In other games we competed whether we won or lost the toss and fell away as the game continued, particularly in the third innings. We’re looking at it, but it’s one of those things that the more you mention it, it can get to you.On playing Australia
The first time you play Australia is the best time to get them and Jacob Oram proved that. They toughened up on him and he will have to toughen up for the home series, realise where they are going to attack him and expand his game to counter that.

The Glamorgan team for the County Championship match against Somerset starting tomorrow (9th July) at Sophia Gardens, will be drawn from the following squad:

JP Maher (6)J Hughes (22)A Dale (11)MJ Powell (14)MP Maynard (25)MA Wallace (18) +RDB Croft (10) *DS Harrison (20)MS Kasprowicz (3)AG Wharf (16)SD Thomas (7)DA Cosker (23)

India’s three-day match against a President’s XI at the Chatsworth Oval was officially abandoned on Tuesday morning, throwing the tourists’ preparations for the first Test against South Africa which starts in Bloemfontein on Saturday into disarray.After another inspection of the outfield on Tuesday it was eventually decided that the soggy outfield would not dry sufficiently and the fixture was officially called off.The irony is that for the past three days the sun has shone in Durban and there has been little, if any, overnight rain. Club matches in and around Durban took place on Sunday, but because of poor drainage at Chatsworth, by Tuesday cricket was still not possible.The fact is that the facilities and the expertise at Chatsworth are not up to first-class standard. Blame for the fiasco has been tossed fairly freely around, but umpire Wilf Diedricks made a telling point when he said: “There is clearly a drainage problem, but it would help if they cut the outfield every now and then. The grass is just too thick and it soaks up water like a sponge.”Efforts to have the match shifted to another venue proved futile. The most obvious other ground in Durban, Kingsmead, is unavailable because the pitch is being prepared for a provincial match at the weekend.The Indians, therefore, have been left to fit in what training they can ahead of the Test match. They are unable to travel to Bloemfontein ahead of schedule because no flights are available and in any case, net facilities at Goodyear Park will only be ready on Thursday.The allocation of this fixture to Chatsworth was a sop to the community who, earlier in the year, threatened protest marches and formed action committees when it became apparent that no World Cup fixture was going to be played at the ground. In view of what has now happened, the World Cup organisers may well heave a sigh of relief.It is also apparent, however, that the practice of asking touring sides to play tour matches at unsatisfactory venues must be revisited by the United Cricket Board. Last year New Zealand had to play a one-day in Alice on a pitch that, in all honesty, was not fit for a junior school game.India now have to pick a Test side which almost certainly include players who have not had a serious bat or bowl in South African conditions. The only consolation for the tourists, for what it’s worth, is that the majority of the South African Test team will not have played first-class cricket since the second Test in Bulawayo in mid-September.

Crystal Palace and Newcastle United are both keen on signing Barcelona youngster Marc Casado.

The Lowdown: Casado profiled

Casado is just 18 years of age and captains Barcelona’s Under-19 side. However, he is out of contract with the Catalan giants in a matter of months and actually shares the same agent as Palace forward Jordan Ayew.

The Spaniard is primarily a central midfielder but can also play in a holding role and has even trained with the first team under Xavi Hernandez, perhaps the best possible mentor for a young, technical midfielder.

The Latest: Palace interest

Sports Witness relayed a story from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo on Wednesday regarding Casado. They claimed that both Palace and Newcastle are watching the midfielder and are best placed to sign the player on a free transfer in the summer.

The report does add that Casado would need to secure a work permit ahead of a possible move to the Premier League.

The Verdict: One to watch…

It seems as if sporting director Dougie Freedman is tracking Casado closely ahead of a possible free transfer swoop to bolster Patrick Vieira’s midfield options.

Securing Casado’s services ahead of Newcastle could be a shrewd move in the long-term, and it would be interesting to see what Vieira would do with the youngster if he moved to Selhurst Park.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

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Casado is yet to feature for Barcelona’s first-team, so he could well get his first taste of senior action in Palace colours, with a cut-price move possibly one to keep an eye on over the coming months.

In other news: Palace and John Textor now hit with off-field blow as news emerges. 

Inzamam-ul-Haq acknowledges the applause after his last ODI innings © AFP

1989

January 13-14, Karachi
Scores 201 not out on a greentop for United Bank Limited in the Quaid-e-Azam Trophy. Haroon Rashid, the former Pakistan batsman and coach, considers it the best innings he has ever seen.

1989-90

Finishes the season with 1645 runs at an average of 60.92, with six centuries and as many fifties in 21 matches.

1991

November 22, Lahore
Has to contend with a fiery line-up of Curtly Ambrose, Ian Bishop, Malcolm Marshall and Patrick Patterson on his ODI debut. Manages 20 before being bowled by Marshall. The game turns out to be a thriller and ends in a tie.

1992

January 17, Multan
Scores his first ODI hundred – a 101 – in alosing cause against Sri Lanka. Follows up with a century in the next game, as Pakistan thump Sri Lanka by 117 runs in Rawalpindi to take the series 4-1.March, Australia-New Zealand
World Cup heroics. His volcanic 60 at Auckland in the semi-final against New Zealand separates the two teams. Later, a thrilling 42 in the final proves crucial in Pakistan’s dream triumph.June 4, Birmingham
Test debut. Not much batting for Inzamam in a high-scoring draw against England.

1993

May 2-4, St John’s, Antigua1993
Another high-scoring draw, but Inzamam manages to notch up his maiden Test century, despite having to shepherd the tail for much of his innings.

1994

April 20, Sharjah
Partners a world record. A monstrous stand with Aamir Sohail takes New Zealand to the cleaners. They add 263 for the second wicket, at the time a record ODI partnership for any wicket, with Sohail belting 134 and Inzamam 137.October 2, Karachi
Stars in a cliffhanger. Not many nails are left at the end of this one as Inzamam and Mushtaq Ahmed engineer a minor miracle against Australia. From 258 for 9, Pakistan manage to surmount the target of 315 and go one-up in the series. Ian Healy misses a stumping when three runs are needed and Pakistan prevail in one of the closest finishes of all.

En route to the triple at Lahore © Getty Images

1996

July 25-29, Lord’s
On the opening day of a series against England at Lord’s, Inzamam walks in at 12 for 2 and revives the innings before stamping his authority with a magnificent 148. He tightens the noose in the second innings with 70 more as Pakistan wrap the match by a 164-run margin.

1997

September, Toronto
After being endlessly mocked by a spectator through a megaphone, about his nickname “Aloo” (potato) and his religion, Inzamam finally snaps. Armed with a bat, he wades into the stands and thumps his tormenter. Fortunately, the crowd and security staff prevent him from landing any telling blows, but it is 40minutes before play can resume amid the chaotic scenes. He is subsequently banned for two matches.

1999

March 12-14, Dhaka
His first Test double-hundred comes in the final of the Asian Test Championship against Sri Lanka. Ijaz Ahmed joins in the run-glut and Pakistan sail to the title.November 18-22, Hobart
His only century against Australia comes in a losing cause, but it is made with the match very much in the balance. Australia have managed only a slender lead and he consolidates Pakistan’s position with a controlled 118. It almost turns into a series-levelling knock until Justin Langer and Adam Gilchrist begin their daylight robbery.

2000

Aggregates 1000 runs in both Tests and ODIs in the calendar year. Scores 1090 runs in 12 Tests, including four hundreds and six fifties at an average of 60.56; in 34one-dayers, it was 1074 runs with a lone hundred and nine fifties at an average of 42.96.

2001

May31-June 4, Manchester
With the series in the balance and Darren Gough, Andy Caddickand Matthew Hoggard swinging it on the first morning, Inzamam responds with a rattling 114. A tenacious 85 in the second innings sets the game up, as Saqlain Mushtaq and friends take eight wickets in the final session to seal the series-levelling win.

Escaping in style: At Multan, saving Pakistan the blushes against Bangladesh © AFP

2002

May 1-2, Lahore
The triple. For nearly two days, New Zealand have no respite in the searing heat and are clobbered to all corners of the Gaddafi Stadium. Inzamam’s 329 is the second-highest score by a Pakistan batsman, behind Hanif Mohammad’s 337, and the tenth-highest score in Test history.

2003

March, South Africa
Has a miserable World Cup. Scores 19 runs in six innings in Pakistan’s shambolic World Cup performance. Perhaps the 23 pounds he lost in the run-up to the tournament reduced his appetite for runs. Is one of many who are dropped in the aftermath.September 3-6, Multan
The jailbreak. Chasing 261 in the final Test against Bangladesh, Pakistan are 205 for 8 and in danger of giving Bangladesh their first Test win. Inzamam has none of it, however, and with sizeable help from Nos 10 and 11, inches them past the line.October 24-28, Faisalabad
In his first Test as captain, his calm presence on the final day earns Pakistan a nervy draw against South Africa.

2004

March 13, Karachi
In a coruscating display of mind-blowing strokeplay, Inzamam nearly makes the impossible happen against India. No team had successfully chased down 350 in an ODI at the time, but his 122 off 102 balls is like a divine bolt that landed in Karachi. Pakistan fall just short, but it is undoubtedly the innings of the series, maybe even the best of his career. However, Inzamam’s team is unable from preventing India from clinching victory in both Tests and ODIs.July
Spat with Shoaib Akhtar comes out in the open. Differences between the two emerge after the loss at home to India, where Shoaib limps out of the Test series with an injury.September, EnglandLeads Pakistan to the semi-final of the ICC Champions Trophy, where a puzzling decision to bat first – akin to Wasim Akram’s decision in the 1999 World Cup final – sees his side crumbling to 131 (132 in 1999), chased by West Indies with seven wickets to spare.

2005

January, Australia
Misses two of the three Tests, as Pakistan are trounced 3-0.March 24-28, Bangalore
Makes a stellar 184 in his 100th Test as Pakistan level the series 1-1 in the final Test. In the one-dayers that follow, Pakistan win 4-2, with Inzamam topping the averages for Pakistan.

Facing up to Comrade Shoaib at the nets © AFP

August
Captains Asia XI in the inaugural Afro-Asian Cup.October
Is named in both World Test and ODI XI of the year. Surprisingly though, isn’t picked for the teams to play Australia in the Super Series. However, he finally does play in the Super Test, being named as a replacement for Sachin Tendulkar. That too isn’t without drama, as he refuses initially, still angry at the snub in the first place.November 20-24, Faisalabad
In the second Test against the visiting Englishmen, an umpiring gaffe sees Inzamam declared run-out for 109 as he tries to evade a throw aimed at the stumps by Steve Harmison on his follow-through. Inzamam moves out of the way, but is caught short when the ball thuds into the stumps. Since Inzamam is not attempting a run, there is no way he can be given out. Inzamam’s 109 in Pakistan’s first innings equals Javed Miandad’s Pakistan record of 23 Test centuries, and he goes better in the very next innings with an unbeaten 100.Pakistan win the series 2-0. With 431 runs at 107.75, he is the Man of the Series. Also completes 1000 Test runs in a calendar year for the second time in his career.

2006

August-September, England
Inzamam is at the centre of perhaps the most controversial episode in the history of the game. The first forfeiture in Test cricket takes place on August 20, after Inzamam and his team refuse to take the field after tea on the fourth day at The Oval. The spark that starts it off is the decision of the umpires – Billy Doctrove and Darrell Hair – to give five penalty runs to England after the 56th over as they feel the ball has been tampered with by the Pakistan players. The ball is changed, but it is only after a while at tea that the Pakistan players decide to protest by staying in the dressing room. Finally, when the players decide do step out, the umpires stay put, and going by the rulebook they deem Pakistan to have forfeited the match. Pakistan are later cleared of the charges, but Inzamam is handed a four-match ban, that rules him out of the ICC Champions Trophy in India. Pakistan lose the series in England 3-0.

2007

March 17, Jamaica
For the second time in succession, Pakistan are knocked out of the World Cup in the first round. Ireland pull off the upset of the tournament on St. Patrick’s Day, and Inzamam’s future at the helm looks in imminent danger.March 18
Announces retirement from ODIs and steps down from Test captaincy on the same day that Bob Woolmer, Pakistan’s coach, tragically collapses and dies at the team hotel.August
Joins ICL, along with team-mates Mohammad Yousuf, Imran Farhat and Abdur Razzaq. Inzamam’s decision comes after he is not offered a central contract by the PCB in July.October
Is selected for the second Test against South Africa in Lahore, which is his farewell Test. Scores 14 and 3, falling two short of Javed Miandad’s record for the highest Test aggregate by a Pakistan batsman. Ends with 8830 runs in 120 Tests, falling 60 runs short of a career average of 50.

Monty Panesar: in the firing line © Getty Images

Australia’s cricket authorities face a stern test of their new hardline anti-racism laws, after it was reported that Monty Panesar had been taunted as “a stupid Indian who can’t speak English”, during England’s three-day warm-up match against New South Wales at Sydney.Panesar, who underwent counselling from the team psychologist, Steve Bull, ahead of England’s trip Down Under, was fielding on the boundary fence under the Clive Churchill Stand, when he was abused by a group of fans on the opening day of the match.Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reported that a spectator had shouted: “Give us a wave Monty. You can’t speak English you stupid Indian, I’ll have to say it in Indian. What are you doing playing in the English side, you’re not English.”No official complaint has been made, although the paper added that both Panesar and the South African-born Kevin Pietersen were subjected to similar abuse during England’s opening fixture of the tour in Canberra on Friday, where eight people were ejected from the ground for unruly behaviour.Under the new regulations, fans may face lifetime bans if they are found guilty of racial abuse during a match, while the venues themselves could be stripped of international status if they fail to act on any transgressions. The SCG Trust, who are responsible for the upkeep of the ground, admitted that three people had been ejected for excessive drunkenness.Australia’s racism problem came to light during South Africa’s tour of the country last year, when Graeme Smith’s men complained of the use of the derogatory term “kaffir”. This week, Smith himself warned Panesar of the reception he was likely to get, adding: “We all shivered at the prospect of what he could be in for.”A spokesman for the England team said: “We have come out here to play the game with dignity, and we expect the Australian fans will show the sportsmanship they are renowned for and hope they will respect the players both on and off the field.”

Jacques Kallis is ‘one big innings away from a big score’ © Getty Images

Mickey Arthur, the South African coach, is confident that Jacques Kallis and Herschelle Gibbs, both of whom are struggling for form, will come through during the current one-day series with New Zealand.Kallis, recently voted ICC Player of the Year, has found runs hard to come by in recent matches. In his last 10 one-day matches, he has scored 158 runs at 15.80 with more than half coming in a single innings of 87 against the West Indies earlier in the year. In the opening ODI against New Zealand at Bloemfontein, he was dismissed without scoring.Gibbs, meanwhile, has been plagued by a combination of injury and poor form. In the first match against New Zealand, on a sluggish pitch, Gibbs crawled to 25 off 69 balls – a far cry from an ODI career strike-rate of over 80.But Arthur insisted to that both players would turn the corner sooner rather than later. “I thought Herschelle was coming right towards the end of his innings. All he really needs is time in the middle.”As for Jacques, I feel he is just one innings away from a big score. I have noticed that he is a bit slow at the moment in getting into his trigger position. This is something we will sort out in the next couple of days.”The frustrating thing is that Jacques looked as though he was just starting to get his form back on the final day of the Super Series Test in Sydney. He was, of course, not helped by the rushed nature of his trip back to South Africa from Australia. He hardly got his feet on the ground before the New Zealand series started. Generally, a team needs a little bit of fine tuning in a lot of areas.”As a result, Arthur has called for two practice sessions on Tuesday, when none were scheduled, and the second is due to take place under floodlights to get attuned to the conditions for the second match on Friday.”We haven’t played a one-day match under floodlights for some time, so it is something we need to get used to again.”

Western Province 276 for 7 dec beat North West 98 (Coetsee 50, de Stadler 5-18, Friend 3-37) and 98 (de Stadler 3-18, Magiet 3-0) by an innings and 80 runs
ScorecardWestern Province needed just 5.3 overs on the third morning at Cape Town to send North West tumbling to an abject innings-and-80-run defeat. Quinton Friend was the man who inserted the final stitches, grabbing both remaining wickets as North West were dismissed for 98 – a replica of their first-innings total.Gauteng 228 and 266 for 6 dec (Otto 91) drew with KwaZulu-Natal 274 for 5 dec and 214 for 7 (Gobind 87, de Bruin 5-48) by 44 runs
ScorecardKwaZulu-Natal came within a whisker of a thrilling victory over Gauteng at Durban, but in the end they were forced to settle for a draw, as time ran out with them seven runs from victory, with three wickets standing.The tight finish had been made possible by a bold declaration from Gauteng, who left Natal needing 221 runs in 43 overs. They were given the best possible start by their captain, Rivash Gobind, who followed up his first-innings 77 with another good innings of 87, and while he and Wayne Madsen were adding 139 for the second wicket, victory was on the cards.But when Gobind was run out, the innings stuttered and Gerhard de Bruin took full advantage, ripping through the middle-order for figures of 5 for 48, as six wickets tumbled in nine overs. The effort had come too late for Gauteng, however, as time ran out for both sides.

All Today’s Yesterdays -June 6 down the years 1994
The day Brian Lara achieved immortality by spanking the highest score in first-class cricket history: 501 not out. As if his Test-record 375 wasn’t enough, Lara took the first-class record within two months when he surpassed Hanif Mohammad’s 499 for Warwickshire against Durham at Edgbaston. He had a few near-misses – Lara was bowled off a no-ball on 12 and then was dropped by wicketkeeper Chris Scott on 18 (Scott apparently said: “Oh dear, he’ll probably go on and get a hundred”). Technically, there was only one ball left when he creamed John Morris through the covers for four to bring up the magic 500. In all Lara faced only 427 balls, and hammered 62 fours and ten sixes. On the final day he whacked 174 runs before lunch. For good measure, he also became the first man to make seven hundreds in eight first-class innings, the first of which was the 375.1957
The career of Mike Gatting, who was born today, split into three distinct segments. He struggled at first, taking seven years and 54 innings to make his first Test century. But after breaking that duck with 136 at Mumbai in 1984-85, Gatting went on a storming two-year run in which he made nine centuries in 28 Tests and averaged 63. Then came Shakoor Rana, and an alleged liaison with a barmaid that cost him the England captaincy in 1988. Gatting was never the same – he captained the rebel tour to South Africa in 1989, and in 51 Tests either side of that outstanding run of form he only made one century, a tortuous 117 at Adelaide in 1994-95 as the curtain came gently down on his career.1943
One of Pakistan’s finest batsmen is born … in Hyderabad, India. Asif Iqbal came a long way from the 21-year-old who opened the bowling – with his fellow debutant and future batting star Majid Khan – and batted No. 10, against Australia at Karachi in 1964-65. In full flow Asif was a sumptuous sight. He made his first Test century from No. 9, 146 against England at The Oval in 1967, but he eventually graduated into the middle order, where his dashing, fleet-footed strokeplay charmed allcomers, not least during a successful stint in county cricket with Kent. Less affecting was his alleged involvement in the match-fixing scandal. For many years, Asif was director of cricket at Sharjah, a haven for bookmakers.1991
After all the fuss, 25-year-old Graeme Hick finally made his England Test debut against West Indies at Headingley. Most pundits had already booked him in for 100 Tests, 8000 runs and an average of 50, but it didn’t quite work out like that. In fairness, it was an unforgiving baptism – Curtly Ambrose tortured him all summer, dismissing him six times in a row, but it was Courtney Walsh who ended his first innings when Hick fenced to Jeffrey Dujon having made just 6.1930
A typhoon is born. In terms of raw, unbridled pace, few bowlers in history can match England’s Frank Tyson. Richie Benaud rates him the quickest he’s ever seen. In 17 Tests, Tyson took 76 wickets at an average of 18. This was no brainless quickie, however – Tyson was a Durham University graduate, and had a penchant for quoting Shakespeare or Wordsworth to batsmen, something you can’t quite imagine Glenn McGrath ever doing. Most famously, Tyson blew away Australia as England retained the Ashes in 1954-55. After starting off with 1 for 160 in defeat at Brisbane, he shortened his run and took 10 wickets at Sydney and nine more at Melbourne, when he took 7 for 27 in the second innings and frightened the life out of the Aussies. Injury plagued his career, though, and he emigrated to Australia, where he became a headmaster for a time, before coaching Victoria.1994
Brian Lara’s famous 501 overshadowed a routine England victory over New Zealand at Trent Bridge, in a match that ended on the same day. England won by an innings for the first time at home in nine years, thanks mainly to Graham Gooch (210, his last Test hundred) and Phil DeFreitas (9 for 165 in the match), who as well as firing a quickfire 51, became the 100th person to take 100 Test wickets.1940
Birth of the South African allrounder Herbert “Tiger” Lance, who played 13 Tests. He was a handy strokeplayer in the lower-middle order, and a useful thirdor fourth-change seamer. He took 3 for 30 in his first Test innings, against New Zealand at Johannesburg in 1961-62. His finest hour with the bat also came at Johannesburg, when he made 44 and 70 against Australia in 1966-67, a match that South Africa won at a canter despite trailing on first innings.1969
Birth of the Indian left-arm spinner Sunil Joshi, whose 15-Test career has one distinct highlight. In Bangladesh’s inaugural Test, at Dhaka, Joshi pooped the party with 92, his only Test fifty, and eight wickets, including his only five-for. It set up only India’s second overseas victory in 14 years. Joshi also produced the seventh-best bowling performance in one-day international history, according to the Wisden 100, 5 for 6 against South Africa at Nairobi in 1999-2000.Other birthdays
1909 Morappakam Gopalan (India)
1917 Prior Jones (West Indies)
1956 Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)
1959 Tahir Naqqash (Pakistan)
1967 Wasim Haider (Pakistan)
1972 Dulip Liyanage (Sri Lanka)

With Boeta Dippenaar at last running into form, South Africa sauntered to a seven-wicket victory over Zimbabwe ‘A’ in a one-day warmup match in Bulawayo on Friday.Dippenaar took just 55 balls to make his 60, helping himself to eight fours and towo sixes along the way as the tourists took just a ball more than 20 overs to pass the modest 128 made by the home team earlier in the day.There were contributions of 28 from Herschelle Gibbs and 24 from Mark Boucher before Jonty Rhodes, who flew up to Zimbabwe this week for the one-day series which starts in Bulawayo on Sunday, hit the winning runs.The South African victory had been set up by fast bowler Andre Nel who claimed five for 11 in the morning as the Zimbabwe ‘A’ top order melted away.At one point the Zimbabweans had crumbled to 26 for five before young Tatenda Taibu offered some resistance with a dogged 21 and Paul Strang (45 not out) helped the tail take the score into three figures to give Zimbabwe ‘A’ a semblance of respectability.