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All 15 players of South Africa’s victorious women’s World Cup qualifiers squad have been included in the 18-member training squad announced ahead of the team’s tour of England and Ireland. Alexis le Brenton, Marizanne Kapp and Shabnin Ismail are the three in the squad who were not part of South Africa’s qualifiers campaign.A final 14 will be picked from the camp scheduled between May 23 and 25. At the end of July South Africa will travel to Ireland for a one-dayer, and then head to England in August for five ODIs and three Twenty20 matches.Kerri Laing, the president of the women’s cricket committee, said the tour would help South Africa improve their skills and ability to compete at a higher level.”It’s ideal preparation for us to play against one of the top four countries in the world to give us the necessary competition,” Laing said. “With the World Cup in mind, so much work still needs to be done and this tour will give us a hint of how far we still need to travel in achieving the required level of readiness.”Training squad:
Cri-Zelda Brits (capt), Claire Terblanche, Olivia Anderson, Susan Benade, Trisha Chetty (wk), Dinesha Devnarain, Mignon du Preez, Shandre Fritz, Shabnin Ismail, Marizanne Kapp, Ashlyn Kilowan, Alexis le Breton, Marcia Letsoalo, Sunette Loubser, Annelie Minnie, Alicia Smith, Daleen Terblanche, Charlize van der Westhuizen.

The first thing Stuart MacGill did after telling his wife he was going to retire was speak to his state and national team-mate Beau Casson. MacGill, who is disappointed he has to depart so soon, wanted Casson, the left-arm wrist-spinner, to have a bit more time so he could organise flying his family to the Caribbean.Casson is the only other specialist slow bowler in the squad, although Andrew Symonds and Michael Clarke offer part-time options, and is in line to become the key benefactor in MacGill’s mid-series decision. “The most important thing for me was that Beau had an opportunity to get his family over,” MacGill said after play on the third day. The final Test begins in Barbados on June 12.While most of Australia worries about the state of the next rung of spin bowlers following the retirements of Shane Warne, Brad Hogg and MacGill over the past 18 months, MacGill is not concerned and rates Casson, who moved from Western Australia two seasons ago, at the top of the list. “The reason that New South Wales chased Beau so hard was because we think he can bowl and we think he can win games,” MacGill said. “He proved that this year.”Hopefully now that he’s coming into a great team, there are a lot of great players in that side who can help you along. The Caribbean is a good place to bowl spin and I’m sure he is going to do well.”Casson’s first reaction on hearing the news was to ask if MacGill wanted to change his mind. MacGill was a bit upset, so Casson gave him a hug. After 44 Tests, he doesn’t want to leave, but knows it is time.”I do have lots of goals in Test cricket and I do want to play, but if things aren’t working out my way I don’t want to be there,” he said. “I am thinking about every single component of my game at the moment way too much because I have to, just to stay in it. That means I’m not going to be performing at my peak.”He said he “couldn’t live with myself” if he let the team down and decided over the past week he had to step away. “I guess [I knew] since mid-way through the first Test and then unfortunately – the reason why I’ve done this mid-game – every single ball [on day two].” His control had gone and short deliveries were mixed with full ones on Saturday, but he recovered to remove Ramnaresh Sarwan with a fine legspinner on day three.”I like to make people proud,” he said. “I’m proud of myself, and I don’t want to take the shine off it. I’ve got a lot of good memories. I’d hate to chuck in another bad one.”MacGill’s time in Australian teams has rarely been quiet and he missed the team bus to the ground on Saturday. He arrived after play had started – Australia were batting after resuming at 259 for 3 – and walked in with Viv Richards, who told the Sydney Morning Herald the bowler looked “sheepish”. There was no suggestion he was hungover.”To be honest, it’s incredibly embarrassing for me, but it’s very, very simple,” MacGill said. “The alarm didn’t go off, I missed the bus, and I was late for work. It is significant, but that’s as simple as it was, and I do feel embarrassed, because I just don’t really need complications to be honest.”Caribbean tours are hard work. I love a night out, but very few of us cope well with tours over here, so it was actually a pretty early night for me. I can’t guarantee you I slept particularly well – I’ve got a lot on my mind – but I can’t even use that as a reason. I was sleeping, missed the bus and was late for work. It would be cooler if I had a better story.”The tight schedule of three games in less than three weeks has also affected MacGill’s 37-year-old body, with his knee and wrist the major problems. “The rigours of this particular tour have proven a little bit too much for me,” he said. “Playing against West Indies in the Caribbean is hard work. You’ve got some very good players who respond well to playing in this region, it’s hot, the pitches are unforgiving, the grounds are quite often small, and you’ve really got to earn your dollars.”Disappointingly for MacGill, he expects his final Test day on Tuesday to be one of his worst memories of a career that currently contains 208 wickets. “A lowlight will be walking off the ground at the end of this game,” he said. “Probably the hardest thing is I thought I had already played my last Test in Hobart, so it means that two of my last three Tests I’ve felt pretty low. I really do because I don’t want to stop playing, this is what I’m good at.”His highlights include taking nine wickets in his second Test, against Pakistan in 1998, and the 2003 trip to the West Indies. “Playing here on the last tour in Barbados, Steve Waugh said we were the only team in the world that could bowl them out twice and we did,” he said. “That was great, nine wickets. Nine seems to be my lucky number. If I get nine in this Test it would be a nice way to finish.”Cricket Australia will decide over the next month what to do with his contract for 2008-09. Playing for New South Wales for a couple of seasons remains in MacGill’s plans and he also has the second series of his wine programme Uncorked to film. “Maybe I’ll finally get a real job.”

LOGAN CUP RECORDS (FIRST-CLASS): MASHONALAND v MIDLANDS

RESULTS OF MATCHES PLAYED1999/2000: At Harare Sports Club; 31 March, 1 April 2000.MASHONALAND 165 and 173/8 dec.MIDLANDS 31 (A J Mackay 6/16) and 56 (A J Mackay 5/19).Mashonaland won by 251 runs.2000/01: At Kwekwe Sports Club; 30, 31 March, 1 April 2001.MASHONALAND 357/7 dec.MIDLANDS 92 (B C Strang 5/13) and 222 (T J Friend 115; E A Brandes 5/19).Mashonaland won by an innings and 43 runs.2001/02: At Harare Sports Club; 22, 23, 24 March 2002.MASHONALAND 329 (C N Evans 163) and 263/8 dec (R W Price 5/68).MIDLANDS 211 and 133.Mashonaland won by 248 runs.Total: Played: 3Won by Mashonaland 3Won by Midlands 0Drawn: 0HIGHEST TOTALSBy Mashonaland: 357/7 dec Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01By Midlands: 222 Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01LOWEST TOTALSBy Mashonaland: 165 Harare Sports Club 1999/2000By Midlands: 31 ) Harare Sports Club 1999/200056 )92 Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01HIGHEST FOURTH-INNINGS TOTALSFor Mashonaland:To win: no instancesTo lose: no instancesTo draw: no instancesFor Midlands:To win: no instancesTo lose: 133 Harare Sports Club 2001/02To draw: no instancesHIGHEST MATCH AGGREGATES936 runs/37 wkts Mashonaland (329 and 263/8 dec) beat Midlands(211 and 133) by 248 runs, at Harare Sports Club 2001/02(Midlands batted one man short in the second innings)LOWEST COMPLETED MATCH AGGREGATES425 runs/38 wkts Mashonaland (165 and 173/8 dec) beat Midlands(31 and 56) by 251 runs, at Harare Sports Club 1999/2000LARGEST MARGINS OF VICTORYFor Mashonaland:innings and 43 runs Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01251 runs Harare Sports Club 1999/2000248 runs Harare Sports Club 2001/02For Midlands:no instancesBATTING RECORDSCENTURIES163 C N Evans (Mash) Harare Sports Club 2001/02115 T J Friend (Mid) Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01200 RUNS IN MATCHES BETWEEN THE TWO TEAMSCareer M I NO Runs HS Av. 100 50C N Evans (Mash) 1999/00-2001/02 3 5 1 325 163 81.25 1 1Best by Midlands: 147 (av. 73.50), by T J Friend4 OR MORE SIXES IN AN INNINGS7 C N Evans (163) for Mashonaland, at Harare Sports Club 2001/024 G W Flower (83) for Mashonaland, at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/0115 OR MORE BOUNDARIES IN AN INNINGS26 (19×4, 7×6) C N Evans (163), for Mashonaland, at Harare SC 2001/0218 (17×4, 1×6) T J Friend (115), for Midlands, at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01BATSMEN SCORING 50% OR MORE OF A COMPLETED INNINGS TOTALFor Mashonaland:No instancesFor Midlands:51.87% J M Cornford (69* of 133), at Harare Sports Club 2001/0251.80% T J Friend (115 of 222), at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01HIGHEST SCORE IN BOTH INNINGS OF A MATCHFor Mashonaland:No instancesFor Midlands:T J Friend (32/92 and 115/222), at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01HIGHEST PARTNERSHIPS (including all century partnerships)For Mashonaland:1st: 88 G J Rennie (37) and H Masakadza (85), at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/012nd: 93 H Masakadza (85) and G W Flower (83), at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/013rd: 30 K J Davies (45) and D J Peacock (22), at Harare Sports Club 1999/20004th: 92 B G Rogers (56) and C N Evans (163), at Harare Sports Club 2001/025th: 31 C N Evans (36) and D J R Campbell (19), at Harare Sports Club 1999/20006th: 68 C N Evans (163) and N B Mahwire (22), at Harare Sports Club 2001/027th: 106 B G Rogers (80) and D J R Campbell (61), at Harare Sports Club 2001/028th: 59* C N Evans (73*) and E A Brandes (24*), at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/019th: 3 E Z Matambanadzo (0) and G du Plessis (3*), at Harare Sports Club 1999/200010th: 77 C N Evans (163) and B T Watambwa (14*), at Harare Sports Club 2001/02For Midlands:1st: 5 T Duffin (3) and L K Mutyambizi (3), at Harare Sports Club 2001/022nd: 16 M J Vaughan-Davies (7) and C A Grant (7), at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/013rd: 22 L S Malloch-Brown (20) and K M Connelly (10), at Harare SC 1999/20004th: 36 S M Ervine (12) and D P Viljoen (78), at Harare Sports Club 2001/025th: 66 D P Viljoen (78) and J M Cornford (28), at Harare Sports Club 2001/026th: 108 T J Friend (115) and C Delport (44), at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/017th: 68 T J Friend (115) and B M Vaughan-Davies (21), at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/018th: 43 D P Viljoen (78) and C Macmillan (35), at Harare Sports Club 2001/029th: 43 J M Cornford (69*) and E C Rainsford (11), at Harare Sports Club 2001/0210th: 21 D T Hondo (29*) and C J Sanders (8), at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01BOWLING RECORDSFIVE WICKETS IN AN INNINGSFor Mashonaland:6/16 A J Mackay (6.5-2-16-6) ) Harare Sports Club 1999/20005/19 A J Mackay (10-6-19-5) )5/13 B C Strang (9-1-13-5) Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/015/19 E A Brandes (14.4-9-19-5) Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01For Midlands:5/68 R W Price (27.4-6-68-5) Harare Sports Club 2001/02TEN WICKETS IN A MATCHFor Mashonaland:11/35 (6/16 & 5/19) A J Mackay Harare Sports Club 1999/2000For Midlands:No instances. Best: 6/147 (1/79 & 5/68), by R W Price, at Harare Sports Club, 2001/02MOST OVERS IN AN INNINGSFor Mashonaland:23 (23-7-56-3) B C Strang, at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01For Midlands:39 (39-10-110-2) R W Price, at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01MOST OVERS IN A MATCHFor Mashonaland:32 (32-8-69-8) B C Strang, at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01For Midlands:46.4 (46.4-9-147-6) R W Price, at Harare Sports Club 2001/02MOST RUNS CONCEDED IN AN INNINGSFor Mashonaland:57 (12-1-57-4) B T Watambwa, at Harare Sports Club 2001/02For Midlands:110 (39-10-110-2) R W Price, at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01MOST RUNS CONCEDED IN A MATCHFor Mashonaland:101 (29.2-3-101-6) B T Watambwa, at Harare Sports Club 2001/02For Midlands:147 (46.4-9-147-6) R W Price, at Harare Sports Club 2001/02MOST MAIDEN OVERS IN AN INNINGSFor Mashonaland:9 (14.4-9-19-5) E A Brandes, at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01For Midlands:10 (39-10-110-2) R W Price, at Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/0110 WICKETS IN MATCHES BETWEEN THE TWO TEAMSCareer M O Mdns R W Av. BB 5wI 10wMA J Mackay (Mash) 1999/00-2001/02 3 50.5 17 154 14 11.00 6/16 2 1R W Price (Mid) 1999/00-2001/02 3 98.4 23 277 13 21.30 5/68 1 -B T Watambwa (Mash) 1999/00-2001/02 2 38.2 6 122 10 12.20 4/15 – -ALL-ROUND RECORDS50 RUNS AND 5 WICKETS IN A MATCHNo instances.100 RUNS AND 10 WICKETS IN MATCHES BETWEEN THE TWO TEAMSNo instances.WICKET-KEEPING RECORDS4 OR MORE DISMISSALS IN AN INNINGSFor Mashonaland:4 (all ct) D J R Campbell, at Harare Sports Club 1999/2000For Midlands:No instances. Best 3 (all ct), by E R Marillier5 OR MORE DISMISSALS IN A MATCHFor Mashonaland:No instances. Best 4 (all ct), by D J R CampbellFor Midlands:No instances. Best 4 (all ct), by E R MarillierMOST DISMISSALS IN MATCHES BETWEEN THE TWO TEAMSFor Mashonaland: 8 (all ct), by D J R Campbell, in 3 matches, 1999/2000-2001/02For Midlands: 4 (ct), by E R Marillier, in 1 match, 1999/2000FIELDING RECORDS3 OR MORE CATCHES IN AN INNINGSFor Mashonaland:3 A Flower Kwekwe Sports Club 2000/01For Midlands:No instances of more than 24 OR MORE CATCHES IN A MATCHFor Mashonaland:No instances. Best 3, by A FlowerFor Midlands:No instances. Best 3, by J M CornfordMOST CATCHES IN MATCHES BETWEEN THE TWO TEAMSFor Mashonaland: 4, by C N Evans, in 3 matches, 1999/2000-2001/02For Midlands: 3, by J M Cornford, in 1 match, 2001/02MISCELLANEOUSMOST MATCHES BETWEEN THE TWO TEAMSFor Mashonaland: 3, by D J R Campbell, C N Evans and A J MackayFor Midlands: 3, by R W PriceMOST CAPTAINCIESFor Mashonaland: 2, by A J MackayFor Midlands: no instances of more than 1

When will the woes concerning the opening batting in Indiancricket end? Every now and then comes a batsman who displays allthe qualities required for a good opening bat – courage,technique, temperament, skill – and the Indian cricket fan heavesa sigh of relief believing that the crisis is past. But thensooner rather than later, the same player comes a cropper, goesthrough a string of failures, is dropped and the search startsall over again.Indian cricket has been beset with many a perennial problem -the lack of medium-pacers, sub-standard fielding, question marksover who is going to be the next wicketkeeper, an abysmal recordoverseas etc. But there is little doubt that the most vexatiousproblem has been the one posed at the top of the batting order.

It would be tempting to trace the lack of a properly equippedopening batsman to the retirement of Sunil Gavaskar, 15 yearsago. In 106 Tests since the peerless technician called it a day,Indian opening pairs have registered just 13 three-figure stands.The long-standing problem is perhaps fitting, keeping in mind thesupreme irony of Indian cricket. The best start ever in Testcricket stands in the names of two Indians – Vinoo Mankad andPankaj Roy and their famous 413-run partnership against NewZealand at Madras that is yet to be broken, 46 years and some1200 Test matches later. And the worst-ever start in Test cricketalso stands in the name of India who lost their first fourwickets without a run on the board against England at Leeds in1952.While Gavaskar formed successful opening partnerships with ChetanChauhan and Anshuman Gaekwad, he and Krish Srikkanth, in theirown diverse ways, proved to be an unexpectedly durable pair. WhenGavaskar called it a day, Srikkanth suddenly found himself thesenior player while pairing with Arun Lal.Not long after they came together, however, Srikkanth’s fabledeyesight and reflexes began to fade, symbolised by his fallingaverage which stood at 33.88 in 1989 but fell to 29.88 by thetime he played his last Test three years later. Arun Lal, despitedisplaying courage and determination, never really inspiredconfidence against top-class fast bowling as illustrated by hiscareer average of 26.03, and by 1990 it was obvious that he hadplayed his last Test.Navjot Singh Sidhu, by his deeds in the West Indies in 1989, andRavi Shastri, no stranger to the opening slot, then seemed to bethe best bet for a durable opening pair. But though they did wellindividually they never really got going as a pair despite manyopportunities.Shastri’s obdurate qualities saw him get a double century againstAustralia in 1991-92 but a year later his career was over. As apure stopgap measure, Manoj Prabhakar was pushed to the openingslot. The latter’s tenacious qualities and fighting spirit sawhim make a fairly successful job of it. He was good enough totake a Test century off the West Indian pace attack at Mohali in1994-95.

Prabhakar and Sidhu formed an unexpectedly successful pair. Theyhad a stand of 109 against England in 1992-93 and also sharedsuccessive partnerships of 171 and 86 against Sri Lanka, the nextseason. Besides, Prabhakar also figured in century opening standswith Woorkheri Raman against New Zealand in 1990 and with AjayJadeja against the same opponents five years later.Just as Indian cricket seemed to have acquired a reliable openingpair after a long time, the problems started all over again. By1996, Prabhakar’s career had come to a sudden end following anindifferent World Cup. Then in England later that year, cameSidhu’s sensational decision to return midway through the tourand without playing a single Test following serious differenceswith the captain Azharuddin.The double blow re-opened the question mark over the opening slotand created havoc. Numerous combinations were tried out in quicksuccession – sometimes there were two different pairs in the sameTest – but nothing seemed to work. In desperation, Rahul Dravidwas pushed to open the innings and even wicketkeeper Nayan Mongiawas tried out.Others who donned the role of opening batsmen, though not verysuccessfully, during this period included Sanjay Manjrekar,Jadeja, Raman, Vikram Rathore and Venkatsai Laxman. But everycombination proved to be a sitting duck for the opposition.The return of Sidhu for the tour of West Indies in 1997 solvedthe problem partly in that he again showed why he was the bestopening batsman in the post-Gavaskar period. But the search for areliable opener who could partner him still continued.Mongia figured in a couple of century opening partnerships withhim during the 1997-98 season but this was a move designed topush an extra batsman into the team; it was never really asatisfactory or long-term arrangement. Sidhu and Laxman tooshared a 191-run partnership against Australia the same seasonbut even at this time it was clear that Laxman was happier downthe order.As Sidhu played his last Test in 1999 after figuring in fivecentury opening stands with three different partners, a tallleft-hander from Chennai, Sadagoppan Ramesh was presented as thenext big hope. Again, Ramesh seemed to have the qualities neededto succeed at this specialised position even though he attractedmuch adverse comment, with the purists faulting his footwork andtechnique.That did not stop Ramesh from figuring in five three-figureopening stands with three different partners over the next threeyears. Late last year, however, questions were raised about histemperament and with his state association not backing him, hefell out of favour with the national selection committee. In themeantime, Laxman had taken his rightful place in the middleorder.All too briefly, Bengal’s Devang Gandhi flickered on the horizon.He figured in two successive century opening partnerships withRamesh against New Zealand in 1999-2000 but proved to be easymeat for McGrath and company in Australia later that season.With Mongia not being considered, there occurred the mostdesperate action of fielding MSK Prasad as an opening batsman inAustralia. Prasad vs McGrath was potentially one of the mostlopsided individual contests in world cricket and notunexpectedly, the tall Australian spearhead dismissed the Indianwicketkeeper twice for single digits in the third Test.In the new millennium, the search commenced all over again. Thediscovery this time was Mumbai’s technically-correct Wasim Jafferwho had a tough baptism against Donald, Pollock and Hayward. Andastonishingly, the experiment with a reluctant Dravid continuedwith little success.At the start of the 2000-2001 season, the selectors then turnedto Shiv Sundar Das. The diminutive batsman from Orissa at lastseemed to be the answer to our prayers. He seemed to have all thequalities required to succeed at the job and in quick successionfigured in two three-figure partnerships with Ramesh.

Even as Ramesh fell out of favour, Das continued to prosper andwas in the process of challenging Sidhu as the country’s finestopening batsman in the post-Gavaskar era when he suddenly lookedout of sorts in the just concluded series against the WestIndies. This was a pity, for a recalled Jaffer seemed to havetightened up his technique and had a fairly successful outing inthe Caribbean.Too much should not be read into the brief experiment with DeepDasgupta despite the Bengal wicketkeeper getting a Test hundredand figuring in a century partnership with Das. The need of thehour is two specialised opening batsmen and unfortunately thesearch still continues. Will the England tour provide an answerat last?

The Ashes are quickly turning into a dark comedy, and one penned by a particularly cruel scriptwriter at that. Quite apart from being outclassed man-for-man, England are now facing an injury list of almost unfathomable length. Steve Waugh told the post-match press conference: “We can still lose the series.” Another joke, surely?So, if we are to believe that England will not win the Ashes, where do they go now? They will not be helped by, and will not heed, Merv Hughes’ ridiculous suggestion that Nasser Hussain should be sacked. Hussain, all things considered, had a fair Test as skipper, certainly one free from howlers. What England can do is play the rest of the series one session at a time, and try to compete.It looks as though changes will be made for Perth. Andy Caddick, who bowled so far below his potential at Adelaide that he was barely recognisable, is expected to miss out. This will give Matthew Hoggard another chance. Hoggard’s performances on tour have been disappointing. He is a fine bowler, who will quite possibly take hundreds of Test wickets, but without swing is unable to trouble hungry Australian batsmen.Caddick’s injury looks to leave a space open for either Chris Silverwood or Alex Tudor. Either would shore up England’s flimsy tail a little, but neither will give the likes of Hayden or Ponting nightmares. On balance, and despite the fact that he has not bowled a ball on tour, Silverwood is the better option. He is quick, and should at least hurry the batsmen at the WACA. If the tourists were to be brave, they could consider picking James Anderson. The young Lancastrian is genuinely quick and accurate, and has impressed at the Academy.What was ultimately frustrating was the way in which England subsided after dominating the first day. Michael Vaughan is beginning to look like a great batsman, and handled himself in typically phlegmatic fashion. He has a cover-drive straight from heaven, and is developing a hook that could be just as potent. He did not seem fazed by the verbals, and scores at a terrific rate without ever looking hurried.Vaughan’s dismissal marked the beginning of a catastrophe. There is no getting away from it: England have an awful tail. They will be exposed 95 per cent of the time by one of the best bowling attacks in the history of the game. They were rolled over with the utmost ease, and Craig White looks two places too high at seven. Without a quick fix to the problem, one solution might be to consider James Foster. He is a gutsy batsman, capable of occupying the crease. He could keep wicket, releasing a little pressure on Alec Stewart. England would be denied a bowler, but the benefit of Foster’s batting might just be worth it. Five bowlers have not been enough so far in the series, and the only way in which England can possibly put pressure on the Australians is by getting big runs on the board.Steve Harmison performed well at Adelaide, bowling accurately without sacrificing pace. He looked the most likely bowler, but will need to step up his game in Perth. England have essentially lost their entire first choice bowling attack. Rather than castigation, the squad desperately needs support. Remember that Australia have not lost a Test at home for four years, that they have whitewashed India, Pakistan, South Africa and West Indies in the recent past. It would be an achievement indeed if England were able to avoid joining that list. If they are able to do so considering their injuries, they should return home as heroes.

Wellington captain Matthew Bell continues to help his English league side New Farnley in its bid to win the Central Yorkshire League this year.At the weekend he scored 120 not out as his side reached 224/4 against Gildersome. Bell was dropped early on in his innings, and then once the side was past the 100-mark he survived a run out. He was out of his ground but the Gildersome wicket-keeper had removed the bails in his quest to get the ball.And while Bell was still short of his ground, the wicket-keeper failed to pull a stump from the ground to claim the run out in the approved fashion.Bell cashed in big-time and almost scored more than the opposition. They were dismissed for 124 with Bell demonstrating his bowling skills by taking three wickets.In the Liverpool league, Peter Fulton had a more memorable day for his Lytham side in the premier division than his team-mates. Bootle scored 200/7 declared of whom Fulton took three for 40. In Lytham’s run chase Fulton scored 64, but the team was all out for 124.In the first division of the same league, James Marshall scored 46 of Formby’s 94/5 as they overhauled St Helens’ 93. Marshall had taken three for 24 with the ball earlier.Neal Parlane, playing for Fleetwood Hesketh scored 96 not out in the total of 144/4 which was sufficient to beat Southport and Birkdale’s total of 142.In the Netherlands premier division, Darren Reekers had an outstanding day. He scored 34 runs off 41 balls, including two sixes, in Quick Haag’s 150/5 in a rain-reduced game. Then he destroyed the VOC response by taking four wickets for six runs in his seven overs as VOC were all out for 63. Among his victims were three current or former Netherlands internationals.Darrin Murray scored 37 in his VRA side’s 152/4 against HBS while team-mate Peter Borren took three for 31 from 10 overs. VRA, earlier dismissing HBS for 161, won on run rate in the rain-affected match.

As in all competitions in this early season, the rain has had its say in thefirst round of the Benson & Hedges matches. Only two-and-a quarter hoursplay was possible at The Oval where Middlesex put Surrey in to bat andmanaged to bowl 35 overs under the threat of rain for most of that time.Ian Ward, who was to remain unbeaten on 71 from 95 balls when theumpires decided to abandon play, got Surrey off to a fairly brisk start alongwith Mark Butcher. The two left-handers put on 46 before Butcher, attemptingto deflect, was held down the leg side by the wicket-keeper. That was in thelast of Simon Cook’s six overs which cost 26 runs.Mark Ramprakash, coming to the crease against his old county after playing that brilliant innings of 146 in the opening CricInfo Championship match, went for his strokes straight away. He turned Cook to square leg for four off only the second ball he faced.When Cook was replaced by Chad Keegan, Ramprakash picked up two moreboundaries, a leg glance and then a beautiful drive through extra cover before being beaten, as he played forward defensively, by the off-spin of Paul Weekeswho had come on to replace captain Angus Fraser.Meanwhile, Ward had reached his half-century from 68 balls, hittingfive boundaries as he looked for scoring opportunities throughout hisinnings. He added one boundary, which was the finest stroke of his innings, astylish square cut off Keegan, shortly before the enforced stoppage whichgave the two teams a point each. Surrey had reached 146 for two, with GrahamThorpe 23 not out.

Until it receives an official response from its equivalent body in India, the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) has no plans to look for a new opponent for the series of three one-day international matches to be staged in the country in September.Following a decision late last week from India to play in Asian Test Championship matches against Pakistan and Bangladesh instead, it now seems that the ACB’s first-choice guest will be unable to commit to the series unless its proposed dates are the subject of significant revision.Originally, the ACB had been seeking India’s participation in matches on 14, 16 and 18 September. But, after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)’s rumoured move to accept a request to play against Pakistan – from 13 to 17 September – as part of the Asian Test Championship series, hopes that such a contest would proceed now appear to have been scuttled. Following that Test – which will be their first in Pakistan since 1989 – the Indians are also committed to playing a home Test against Bangladesh from 21 to 25 September.Reports emanating from India today have quoted BCCI spokesmen as confirming that a decision to decline the Australian invitation has been taken.An ACB spokesman said late this afternoon, however, that no official response from the BCCI has been received at this stage and that no contingency plans necessarily exist at this point in time.If it were to be received, a negative reply from India would likely force the ACB to quickly direct its efforts to seeking a positive response from another team. Sri Lanka, to which strong attention reportedly turned in original discussions, would shape as one strong contender to be invited to play in the match at the ‘Gabba ground in Brisbane and the two matches at Colonial Stadium in Melbourne that are expected to form the core of the series.South Africa, the Australians’ opponent in the corresponding series last year, is not likely to receive a return invite as it will be involved in Test and one-day international cricket in neighbouring Zimbabwe throughout September.

Heavy shower stopped the proceedings of the match midway while Mohammedan Sporting were taking on Bangladesh Biman in their vital confrontation at BNS today. Since Victoria Sporting confirmed the GrameenPhone Premier League trophy this year, both Mohammedan and Biman were going all-out for the runner-up. Biman, set off for 203 to collect full points, managed to play only three deliveries off Taposh Kumar Baiso, the Mohammedan pacer, when the downpour hampered the remains of the match.Mohammedan had little luck with them for today when Minhajul Abedin lost the vital toss to Biman’s Faruk Ahmed, were asked to bat first in a slightly damp wicket that favored the pace bowlers with lateral movements. Al-Amin and Anisur Rahman, the new ball operators for Biman, camped down on the Mohammedan top order and eliminated three well-in-form front-line batsme (Ehsanul, Habibul Bashar & Steve Tikolo) with the score on 24.Vice captain Sanwar Hossain (15), when his presence was needed most, fell prey to Imran Farhat dejectedly when he tried to sweep the leggie only to become lbw. Opener Rashedul Haque and veteran Minhajul Abedin batted patiently for nearly 11 overs. An impatient Rashedul Haque (43) gifted his wicket away to Farhat again while he endeavored to lift the bowler over long-off fence, mistimed it and Anisur grabbed a spectacular catch.Minhajul put on 30 runs from 12 overs in the next wicket with slow coach Anwar Hossain, the diminutive wicket keeper, who took 43 balls to manage his 14. Faruk Ahmed set up an excellent fielding position on the off side, tempting the batsmen to play at on and forced them into error. They carried off to pick up the important wicket of Minhajul Abedin (31) thus.However, Mohammed Rafique, the left-handed all rounder, notched up a brilliant 42 off 38 balls, flogging the bowlers al around and did some renovation. He, along with another all rounder Shabbir Khan, took the score off to 196. Rafique was bowled by Khaled Mahmud in the final over and Shabbir (29) became not out till the end while Mohammedan finished with 202 for 8.The heavy shower made the ground condition quite unplayable alike yesterday, so, the game was called off.

The Deccan Chargers franchise is one formal step away from losing its IPL status with its owners failing to produce, within the Friday evening deadline, the Rs 100-crore ($19 million) bank guarantee the Bombay High Court had set as the condition for the team’s survival in the league. The failure to produce the bank guarantee meant that the court’s status quo on the franchise’s termination was automatically lifted, which leaves the BCCI free to invite bidders for a new franchise.There are, however, two lifelines for the Chargers; one is if the court-appointed arbitrator, CK Thakkar, rules that the BCCI’s grounds of termination were improper. It is believed that Chargers’ counsel have already approached Thakkar. The other alternative is to challenge the High Court order in the Supreme Court.For the moment, though, Friday’s events bring the curtains down on Chargers’ rollercoaster existence in the IPL, which they won in 2009 after finishing last the previous season. Their subsequent performances were patchy – they finished fourth, seventh and eighth in the last three seasons. The last few months have been overshadowed by the owners’ financial problems, which had led to the attempted sale of the franchise and finally its dissolution.It is understood that DCHL sought a three-day extension of the Friday 5 pm deadline to furnish the guarantee but the court turned it down. DCHL’s lawyers are also believed to have told the court that it was trying to “negotiate” selling the franchise to a private bidder.It is not yet clear what will happen to the playing and support staff. Chargers were led last season by Kumar Sangakkara and coached by the former Australia batsman Darren Lehmann. The other notable overseas players include Dale Steyn, Cameron White and JP Duminy.The development will, however, come as a shot in the arm for the BCCI, which is keen on a new franchise. At its marketing sub-committee meeting on September 13, a day after the Chargers’ expulsion, the board had decided on a short-list of nine cities – not including Hyderabad – for the new franchise. But those plans had to be put on hold once DCHL went to court.The BCCI had terminated Chargers’ IPL contract on September 14 after what it called a “sudden change of stance by the franchise” regarding its commitments and the board’s belief that any further extension of time to the franchise owners would “seriously prejudice the interests of the players.”The matter then went to court where on October 1, while delivering his final judgement in the case, Justice S J Kathawala had asked DCHL to comply with various undertakings in order for the franchise to return to the IPL fold. The conditions included clearing the player dues and other liabilities for the fifth season of the IPL, and also the bank guarantee, only from a nationalised bank.On Tuesday, DCHL sought a three-day extension to provide the guarantee, and was given till 5 pm on Friday.