1.   In the opening fixture of the Middlesbrough AC Evening Gazette Matchmen series the public bank produced most of the action on Albert Park Lake.

2.   Bangladesh suffered an innings defeat against Pakistan in the opening fixture of the Asian test championship last week in Pakistan.

3.   Bangladesh suffered an innings defeat against Pakistan in the opening fixture of the Asian test championship last week.

4.   The Jamaicans, who defeated the Leeward Islands by an innings in their opening fixture, were losing their first match and are now joint third with Guyana.

5.   The Pakistani team was heading for Bristol later Wednesday to round off its preparation for its opening World Cup fixture Sunday against the West Indies.

6.   The opening fixtures, both under lights, will be between Wellington and Auckland at Palmerston North and between New South Wales and Transvaal in Sydney.

7.   Defeat against England in their opening fixture a fortnight ago brought disappointment for Wales at the end of an otherwise promising performance.

8.   The Uruguayans were left to contemplate what might have been had they not succumbed so easily in their opening fixture with Denmark.

9.   Yet Juventus were without winger Attilio Lombardo, veteran Gianluca Vialli and Alessandro Del Piero for their opening fixture.

10.   Parker has aggravated an old ankle injury and is already certain to miss the opening European fixture against Swedish side Gothenburg at Old Trafford in a fortnight.