New Zealand name Moles as coach

New Zealand Cricket has appointed former Warwickshire player, Englishman Andy Moles, as new national team coach.

He takes up the role from 1 December, preparing the squad for the first Test in Dunedin starting 10 days later.

NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said: "Andy has an outstanding coaching background. He also brings leadership, passion, commitment and drive."

Current coach John Bracewell steps down at the end of the Australia tour and will coach Gloucestershire next summer.

Meanwhile, John Wright steps up from the selection panel to become a national selector, "working closely with Moles," said Vaughan.

Moles has had a varied career. Currently coach of New Zealand's Northern Knights, he has also coached England under-19, Scotland - who he got into the 2007 World Cup, Kenya, Hong Kong and South Africa's Free State.

He was an opening batsman for Warwickshire between 1986 and 1998.

Unbeaten NWFP hold the edge

Two of the unlikeliest of domestic cricket teams start their five-day quest for glory on Monday, as North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Baluchistan meet in the final of the 2008-09 Pentangular Cup final at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore.

In a prestigious five-team competition, traditionally dominated by teams representing the departments and commercial institutions over the last 35 years or so, it was not until the 2007-08 season when the tournament was given an almost full provincial colour.

Thus, last season Sind became champions of the Pentangular Cup title, with Federal Areas ending as runners-up. NWFP were third, but they remained a team not taken seriously. Baluchistan finished rock bottom and all Punjab could hold was a fourth position in the table.

This time round, with the last Pentangular Cup contest completed as recently as eight months ago, the top two teams have made it to the final in style and no one can grudge them their exalted position.

NWFP won all their four matches, the first three with the full points, while they came back from 37 runs behind Punjab to gain their fourth straight triumph. Baluchistan performed their first giant-killing act when they defeated Sind by a six-wicket margin in the second round.

Their best was yet to come. In the fifth and final round match against Federal Areas, after having been dismissed for 57 in their first innings, they attained a steep target of 393 to coast to a two-wicket victory, which helped book their passage to the final.

Sind, who failed to win any of their four encounters and in fact lost two, were third, Federal Areas fourth, while Punjab finished bottom.

Four of Punjab's players, who are also part of the national squad - captain Shoaib Malik, opener Salman Butt, wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and offspinner Saeed Ajmal - didn't play in the crucial match against NWFP, even though they had returned from Abu Dhabi after thrashing West Indies.

Their absence cost Punjab dearly but, looking at Baluchistan's form, they might not have made the final anyway.

Like last season, under a brand new format, all five participating outfits belonged to the country's four provinces, in addition to a team representing the Federal Capital Area.

Although captain Umar Gul didn't rejoin the NWFP team on his return from Abu Dhabi, he should be ready to lead them in the final. Younis Khan represented them in the last match against Punjab, scoring unbeaten knocks of 75 and 24, but he will be unavailable after returning to South Australia to fulfill his professional commitments.

Baluchistan's enviable position this season has certainly been due to its outstation players. Of the main squad of 15, captain Misbah-ul-Haq comes from Faisalabad and nine others, including vice-captain Abdul Rauf, have been borrowed from Multan.

Batsman Saeed Bin Nasir, who has been the tournament's top scorer so far with 410 runs in four matches at an average of 68.33, has joined them from Karachi. Only four - left-handed opener Shoaib Khan, middle-order batsmen Nasim Khan and Taimur Ali and left-arm seamer Nazar Hussain - belong to the Quetta region.

Realistically speaking, NWFP should start as favourites to win.

The two umpires officiating will be Nadeem Ghauri and Zameer Haider with Anwar Khan appointed as the match referee.

Teams


NWFP: Umar Gul (capt), Yasir Hameed (vice-capt), Rafatullah Mohmand, Aftab Khan, Adnan Raees, Riaz Kail, Zulfiqar Jan (wk), Nauman Habib, Waqar Ahmed, Junaid Khan, Shakeel-ur-Rehman, Yasir Shah, Aslam Qureshi, Wajid Ali, Shoaib Khan.


Baluchistan: Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), Abdul Rauf (vice-capt), Shoaib Khan, Usman Tariq, Saeed Anwar, Nasim Khan, Saeed Bin Nasir, Rameez Alam, Taimur Ali, Kamran Hussain, Azharullah, Mohammad Irshad, Nazar Hussain, Gulraiz Sadaf (wk), Bilal Khilji.

Ponting fine for second test in a row

At the end of the first Test Ricky Ponting felt Australia did "a pretty good job" of staying in touch with the over-rate, but the team has been fined for the second game in a row by the match referee Chris Broad. Ponting was docked 30% of his match fee of A$12,750, double the punishment of his team-mates, for being three behind during the 149-run victory over New Zealand that ended on the fourth morning.

The Australians adopted new measures in a bid to decrease the amount of time wasted in the field, but despite dismissing New Zealand for less than 200 in both innings, they could not stay within the limits after picking four fast bowlers. "We did a pretty good job this week, we were minus 2.75 down going into the second innings, and if anything we lost a quarter of an over," Ponting said at the end of the Test.

Ponting said the players "tried really hard" during the match to keep with up with the rate, but even with the increased attention on the issue it did not help them. Hats were left at fine-leg, Michael Hussey was used at times as a cap courier and they insisted they were hurrying between overs.

The upshot was the team was one more over down than during the fourth Test in Nagpur, where Ponting was criticised for using part-time bowlers at a crucial stage of the game. In the lead-up to the Gabba Ponting was still unhappy with the response from the former captains Allan Border and Ian Chappell.

"We tried really hard this game," Ponting said. "I didn't address the guys before the game. If they didn't know about it, with all the talk, they never would have."

The situation will be slightly easier in Adelaide when the offspinner Jason Krejza comes back in to the XI for his second match, although he was also involved during the troubles in the fourth Test in India. "I'm never happy when I'm behind," Ponting said. "We tried our hardest right through the game and without having a specialist spinner in the side, you find it hard to remain level par."

Australia employed an observer to measure how the team used its time on the field in comparison with New Zealand, who have no trouble with keeping up with the over-rate. "We just have a rhythm of how we go about it," the coach John Bracewell said. "Guys know that they're going to be bowling."

Ed Joyce feel un easy about champions league

Middlesex batsman Ed Joyce has admitted he is finding it difficult preparing to represent the club in the Champions League after securing his move to Sussex for next season.
Joyce captained Middlesex to the domestic Twenty20 title in July while he was standing in for Ed Smith, but was replaced before the end of the season by Shaun Udal. It had been rumoured for much of the summer that Joyce was unsettled at Middlesex and keen for a move, and it was confirmed earlier this month that he would be joining Sussex.

Middlesex, though, are facing a shortage of top-order batsmen for the Champions League which starts on December 3 - Andrew Strauss and Owais Shah could be away with England and Smith is leaving the club - and have persuaded Joyce to stay around a little longer.

It could be a lucrative bonus for Joyce, with a significant pay-day looming if Middlesex are successful during the eight-team tournament. Even if they don't reach the final, Joyce's participation fee - along with the same from the Stanford Super Series - means he'll have enjoyed a nice little earner in his final few months with the club.

"It has been a bit strange hanging around the guys and some are my best friends as well," he said at a chilly, blustery Lord's, far removed from the heat of India. "Knowing that I'm leaving is not ideal really, you want a clean break, but hopefully we do well and it will be a good way to send me off."

He added that even when his move to Sussex was signed and sealed, Middlesex were fairly desperate to retain his services for a while longer. "They said that no matter what you do, we want you to go [to India]. Obviously we knew we would be struggling to get Andrew and Owais and Ed Smith isn't going either so it was looking like a team of 19-20 year-olds. They wanted me to go and I was happy to do that."

However, while Joyce knows he is on the plane to India next week he doesn't quite know what to expect when he gets there. "We know where we are staying, but not where we are training," he said. "We haven't got any practice games lined up. Hopefully we can get that sorted because we didn't have them in Antigua [for the Stanford Super Series] and really needed them. But it seems to be pretty well organised."

They will certainly need to hit the ground running, with their opening match against Victoria who will boast the big-hitting talents of David Hussey, Brad Hodge and Cameron White. Joyce said that the team have picked the brain of Dirk Nannes, who helped Middlesex to the Twenty20 but will play for Victoria, and hopes their strong spin attack will be crucial.
"We've had Dirk with us and he's told us about them. They have a simple game plan with four quick bowlers and some strong batting. But hopefully we can outdo them in the spin department which will be key on the wickets in India."

Joyce also sees the tournament as a chance to put the record straight after Middlesex disappointed during the Stanford Super Series. They had a chance to beat England and win their big-money match against Trinidad and Tobago, but in the end came away with three defeats.
"That was the annoying thing about Antigua," he said. "Our memories from it aren't particularly good in terms of the cricket. But it will have helped the younger guys to play in big matches and Eoin Morgan and Dawid Malan played pretty well. It sounds ridiculous to say two 20-year-olds are our best Twenty20 players, but they probably are."

High expectations are something Morgan and Malan will have to get used to. Joyce's departure will leave a big hole at the top of the order. First, though, he has one last duty for his old county.

Gibbs in Glamorgan for 2009

Herschelle Gibbs has received a vote of confidence from Glamorgan only weeks after he was dropped from the South Africa team for breaking a curfew, after being signed up as their overseas player for July, August and September 2009.

Gibbs, 34, played for the county in the Twenty20 Cup last summer, and replaces their outgoing overseas player, Jason Gillespie. "I'm really excited about returning to Glamorgan, joining the team for the Twenty20 Cup last season was a great experience," he said. "I am looking forward to having more time to play with Glamorgan."

He has an option to extend his stay at the county, although with an IPL contract for May and the prospect of a recall to the international side for the World Twenty20 in June, he faces a busy few months. Nevertheless, having recently spit from his wife and undergone a alcohol rehabilitation course, he'll be reassured to know he is still in demand. He is currently playing for his club side, Cape Cobras, in South Africa's SuperSport Series.

Glamorgan's cricket manager, Matthew Maynard, is convinced that his club have made an astute signing. "I am absolutely delighted about Herschelle returning to the club," he told the BBC. "He made a great impression on the team in 2008 and he is an inspirational player to add to the squad.

"Herschelle is a typical example of the cricketing experience that we are looking to sign to the club and I'm thrilled that he is joining us next season."

Being Positive When Batting

Cricket wise, the most important thing I've always believed is to get your mind right: relaxed yet alert, focused but also calm. Have a gameplan but be prepared to adjust to the conditions and the quality of bowlers. Play vertical bat early on with a narrow V (tight between Mid off and mid on) off front and back foot then you can expand your V as you get yourself in.

One crucial thing - be positive in the way you play. Let me explain that as too many people misunderstand it:

Being positive is not playing loads of shots as that can be reckless and inappropriate.
Being positive is being 100% committed to the manner in which you are playing and the strokes you choose to play.
If you decide to take the short ball on, every 1% of doubt you have thinking "this might get me out or I might not clear the fielder etc." is 1% of your energy and commitment that you remove from the stroke. The same goes for a time when you're battling it out at the start of your innings and the ball is zipping around and beating the bat. If you start to think "this is difficult, I'm not sure I can stay in" or you worry about the sledges of the fielders when you play and miss, you're wasting mental energy, of which you only have a finite amount.

Be committed to what you're doing by saying "I do not give a toss if I play and miss. I'm going to play straight, leave the wide ones and hit any bad ball bowled to me for four. I will not doubt myself for a second."

Examples of players with complete conviction? Adam Gilchrist, Kevin Pietersen, Ricky Ponting and Shiv Chanderpaul. Do you see themselves doubting themselves for a moment? No way.

Back yourself – no one else can do it for you.

Gayle big hitting in vain

Those who say 50-overs cricket has lost its ticker needed to look no further than the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi for a humdinger. In a throwback to the days of Sharjah classics, Pakistan overcame a sluggish start and a middle-order wobble to sneak the most thrilling of last-over wins over West Indies. Khurram Manzoor and Younis Khan helped Pakistan overcome a jittery start and gather some steam, but it was Shoaib Malik's whirlwind 66 and a stunning last-over assault from Kamran Akmal that pulled the carpet from beneath West Indies' feet.

After winning the toss and batting, West Indies settled for a below-par 294, which owed mostly to Chris Gayle's glorious 113, his 17th one-day hundred and second on the trot after an unbeaten 110 against Canada in August. Just 96 runs were scored since Gayle departed in the 35th over, and only 71 in the last ten overs, credit to Pakistan for sticking to their guns on a hard pitch. Ultimately, that made a big difference.

The last 15 minutes of the match were nerve-wracking. Akmal amazingly swept the last ball of the 48th off, by Jerome Taylor, for six, but a miserly penultimate over from Gayle seemed to have sealed it West Indies' way. Fawad Alam failed to put away a full toss, Gayle bowled Akmal with a no-ball, and Akmal then survived a stumping appeal. The over cost only six runs.

Needing 17 from the last over, Akmal slashed the second and third deliveries for six, backing away: cue hysteria in the ground. A scampered two became three with an overthrow, and Alam clipped the fifth delivery of the final over for a single to seal victory. Akmal's 24 from nine balls, however, was the clincher.

When Pakistan struggled initially under lights in the first 15 overs, this was hard to envision. In the absence of any fluency from Salman Butt, it was left to Manzoor to keep the score ticking over. Manzoor played himself in, reaching his second half-century in two ODIs played for Pakistan, one full of punchy back-foot play. Younis Khan, Pakistan's most experienced batsman after Mohammad Yousuf joined the ICL, hit consecutive boundaries in the 23rd over - one driven off the back foot, the other lapped very fine - to up the rate.

Taylor was brought back in the 28th over to do a job, and he succeeded. Taylor dropped short, Manzoor tried to run it fine, and Carlton Baugh held on to the thin outside edge (142 for 2). Younis swept his way to half-century from 50 balls, but the pressure told on Misbah-ul-Haq, way too early into a reverse-sweep against Nikita Miller's left-arm spin.

As per the new rules, the batting side can choose one Powerplay and Pakistan left the third one until the 38th over. It was a critical phase and Pakistan lost two wickets for 38. Unable to pierce the field like Malik, Younis slogged Baker into the starry night while Shahid Afridi pulled Baker to a tumbling Shivnarine Chanderpaul at deep midwicket. Malik made sure to hit the ball as straight as possible and went past 50 from 36 balls, but when Pakistan needed 33 from 18 balls, he pulled Taylor to midwicket.

Akmal's heroics, though, spoiled what should have been Gayle's party. The venue changed from Antigua to Abu Dhabi, the format from Twenty20 to 50-overs, but what did Gayle care? After five overs West Indies were 11 for 0; that's when Gayle moved up a gear, stepping outside the line of a delivery from Abdur Rauf and swinging it over midwicket for six.

Rauf, who opened the attack in the absence of an injured Shoaib Akhtar, was then taken for 17 in one over. A whip over mid-on was followed by a flick off the pads. Then Rauf pitched outside off stump and craned his neck as Gayle biffed him over his head. Shoaib Malik removed third man and Gayle smartly steered the ball past the wicketkeeper. Having hit a 33-ball half-century in the Stanford 20/20 for 20 earlier this month, Gayle enjoyed his first trip to Abu Dhabi. Sohail Tanvir was cracked past point and West Indies' fifty was up in the tenth over with consecutive pulled sixes in Umar Gul's first over. In five overs, 48 had been scored, and Gayle's half-century needed 36 balls.

Sewnarine Chattergoon contributed 33 to an opening stand of 125, the sixth-best for West Indies against Pakistan, content to play second fiddle before an attempted heave against the turn went to mid-on. Ramnaresh Sarwan partnered Gayle past his century - in a 73-run stand - and watched him get out for 113 after a series of attacking shots, the last of which went straight to midwicket (198 for 2) in an over in which he had been dropped by Gul. Sarwan used his wrists well and leapt on to anything short, hitting five boundaries before he tickled Afridi down the pads in the 38th over. But Gul came back well to take 3 for 66 and Tanvir took two in two balls during the last over as West Indies failed to build on Gayle's innings.

A cricket-starved Pakistan came to Abu Dhabi wanting to win. They've certainly started well.

Wasim Akram a truly great fast bowler

Wasim Akram was the master swing bowler of the modern era. With Waqar Younis he formed one of the most lethal fast-bowling partnerships in the history of the game. When Wasim and Waqar were in their pomp during the mid-1990s they were a formidable force, decimating batting line-ups, and making Pakistan one of the world's best teams.

Wasim provided a finesse in his bowling that was rare in fast bowlers. Waqar, the perfect foil, pounded in to bowl fast and furiously. He also had great skill, but Wasim was the magician when it came to deception.

I only played against Wasim on a handful of occasions at the tail-end of his career. The first time was in the Champions Trophy in Kenya. He bowled just one delivery at me - a fast, skiddy bouncer that I ducked under. The next time was in Sharjah, where he uprooted my stumps with a vicious, swinging yorker with the new ball. The only time I prospered was in an innings in Morocco, back in 2002. During those brief encounters I discovered first-hand just why the world's great batsmen, the Tendulkars, Laras, de Silvas and Jayasuriyas, spoke of Wasim with such awe and respect.

Wasim was probably the most skilful and deceptive fast bowler I have watched. Nothing was ever the same twice in a row. He tested every single part of your game as a batsman, probing away for chinks in your technique.

He would seem to be rushing towards you at the end of his run-up. He had great balance and a quick arm action, coupled with very strong shoulders, and had the ability to bowl deliveries that could be anywhere between 120 and 145kph with no discernible change in his action. This rapid change in pace from one delivery to the next was lethal.

Long before I seriously thought about a future career in cricket, I remember watching two of the most unforgettable deliveries ever, in the final of the 1992 World Cup. England were chasing 249 for victory and going well on 141 for 4 when Wasim came back for a mid-innings spell.

The first ball was the one round the wicket to Allan Lamb, England's match-winner during that period. The ball seemed to swing into the batsman, only to nip away at the last minute and take his off stump. It was a wicked, unplayable delivery. The next was perhaps even better, swinging about two feet to bowl Chris Lewis first ball. Lewis looked dumbfounded.

These deliveries were produced in the middle of the innings with the old ball. It was this unmatched ability to reverse-swing the ball that was Wasim's hallmark. It was an ability that was dogged by controversy, with many accusations around the world that reverse swing was the product of ball-tampering. I think these controversies took the focus away from what was a supreme skill.

Fast bowlers need to be able to bowl on any wickets with a ball that's in any condition. That is the true test of a bowler's skill. Wasim was able to do that. Flat pitches, slow pitches, quick pitches - he was an ever-present threat on them all. Some quick bowlers thrive only when the pitch has zest and lift; not Wasim.

I remember being on tour in Bangladesh when Wasim was a TV commentator. We invited him to share the secrets of reverse swing with our team. He was happy to do so. Indeed, he was always obliging and quick to share his vast knowledge and experience with us and other fellow cricketers.
He told us how the fielders and the bowlers needed to take the utmost care to prevent any moisture touching one side of the ball, so it could become rough, while keeping the other shined and smooth. He then explained in detail the complexities of wrist position, arm speed, and angles. It was fascinating.

Wasim's cricket career was not always smooth. When he was captain, there seemed to be regular rumours of dissatisfaction within the team. Pakistan has historically been a team that has always suffered from partisanship and power struggles, and captains of Pakistan have always needed to be very strong mentally to be able to withstand the pressures of leading a hugely talented but sometimes temperamental side. Talks of petitions being signed against the captain, of the captaincy changing hands, were a constant reality for Wasim when he was in charge.

Yet, for all this pressure and the nasty off-field politicking, it's a testament to his strength of character and his zest for the game that he still became a true legend of the sport; a man who could make the cricket ball talk; a man who was a lethal bowler at every stage of his career, and who would still be so if he decided to pick up a ball today. He played the game hard and with skill, lived life fully, and let his skill rise above petty controversies and squabbles.

If I were given the opportunity to challenge my skill as a batsman by picking bowlers from history whom to face, Wasim would be an automatic choice. Perhaps the greatest tribute you can pay him is that in the current era of fast bowlers there is no one who can be judged to be in the same class. He was a once-in-a-generation cricketer who lifted fast bowling to new levels, and helped carry Pakistan to the top of world cricket. A true legend.

Hoggard hungry to come back into international cricket

Matthew Hoggard, the fast bowler discarded by the England selectors during the tour of New Zealand eight months ago, has set himself a target of getting back in the Test side by July's home Ashes series. But Hoggard, 31, admitted the odds were stacked against him.
"The selectors have almost said to me it would be a backward step picking me," he said. "Obviously England have moved past me at the moment and have got some good youngsters in the team. I'm at the back of the queue at the moment."

Hoggard, who was on a flying visit to Asia at the weekend to play for an All-Stars team in the Hong Kong Cricket Sixes, said he was interested in playing in next year's Indian Premier League (IPL). But he added that his priority was to start the next English county season in style ahead of the Ashes.

"There's a massive summer coming up. There's nothing more than I want to do is put the three lions on my shirt if it's playing against Australia, or playing against Zimbabwe or Bangladesh," he said. "It only takes an injury to someone or a lack of form to somebody else to open up a chance. If you're the guy who's knocking loudest on the door, then hopefully the door will be answered and you'll be asked to come in."

Hoggard, sixth on the all-time England bowling with 248 wickets at 30.50 in 67 Test matches, argued against the perception he had become too one-dimensional for the top level as a prolific outswing bowler. "People have been saying that ever since I've been in the England Test team," he said. "I think I've evolved.

"I think I'm more canny than just running up and bowling away-swing. I've proved that by taking wickets on the subcontinent and at some of the harshest places to go."
In 2005, Hoggard played an important role as England won the Ashes for the first time in more than 18 years. After a quiet start, he took nine wickets in the fourth and fifth Tests and shared in a memorable eighth-wicket partnership with Ashley Giles as England scraped home in the fourth match at Trent Bridge to take a 2-1 series lead.

He hopes that his contribution last time out will be remembered when the selectors choose the best combination to win the Ashes back in 2009. England's bowlers will again be looking to make the most of home conditions to expose weaknesses in the Australian batting line-up.
"The good thing about our swing bowlers in 2005 was that we were all different," he said. "I was a more conventional swing bowler, Freddie was a hit the deck reverser and Simon Jones was a skiddy reverser. It tested out the Australians' technique because we had so many different kinds of bowlers."

As he prepared for his first winter at home in almost a decade, Hoggard said he would enjoy the time in Yorkshire with his wife Sarah and baby son Ernie. However, he said he would be dreaming of being part of what would be his fourth Ashes battle.

"Every game back in 2005 was special," he said. "Probably my strongest memory was the Old Trafford Test match where the Australians were out on the balcony, celebrating a draw. They were so happy that they managed to draw against England. I think that gave us the belief that we could beat Australia and that's what we did."

Attitude of board and captain led me to ICL - Yousuf

Mohammad Yousuf, the Pakistan batsman, has said his move to the ICL was prompted by the attitude of PCB officials and Pakistan captain Shoaib Malik, and that his decision was not swayed by the money on offer.

"Everyone is saying that I have signed [up for] the ICL because of money but the real reason was the attitude of the PCB and Malik, which forced me to join the league," Yousuf told BBC Urdu radio in an interview. "[The] captain never gave me the respect I deserved.
"The PCB must respect the senior players and if they don't, more and more senior players will leave for the ICL," he said. "That has been the case since last year."

Yousuf will play for the Lahore Badshahs in the ICL, alongside Pakistan players such as Inzamam-ul-Haq, Abdul Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Saqlain Mushtaq, Mohammad Sami and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan - all of whom, like Yousuf, have been banned by the board for their involvement with the league.

He hit out at comments made by a few former players. Former captain Aamer Sohail said he demage his image by "ditching" a country that had given him fame and wealth. "Where were these former Test cricketers when the PCB claimed that there was delay in my visa for the Toronto event?" Yousuf told the Associated Press. "They did not raise any voice and now they are criticising me. I am getting more [money] while representing Pakistan and it's totally wrong to say I joined ICL because of big sums of money.

"There was very little cricket in Pakistan this year and I wanted to keep myself tuned up for the big series against India at home by playing in the ICL."

Yousuf left for India soon after he was named in Pakistan's team for the three ODIs against West Indies in Abu Dhabi, a move that surprised PCB officials. He had signed for the ICL last year after being left out of the squad for the World Twenty20 in South Africa, but was lured back by the board to play for Pakistan. His participation in the recent T20 Canada was halted by visa issues.

Yousuf said he was disappointed on missing out on the Canada tournament: he was named in the squad but visa problems prevented him from playing. "I was told that my visa for Canada was delayed. In fact afterwards I got to know that my visa was applied (for) in a wrong manner and I was left out of the team and no one from the PCB bothered to talk to me," he said. "I am the seniormost player and team's best performer for the last several years but I was left out of the team. They don't want me in the team so why not join a league where I am welcomed?

"I know I still have three to four years of cricket left in me, so I can still play for Pakistan provided I am accepted by the PCB and my team-mates, especially the captain. I have never said that I will prefer ICL over playing for my country. I am even available for the Abu Dhabi series, but it's disappointing that the PCB has suspended me."

Middlesex lose leading players for Champions League

Middlesex, whose recent performances in the Caribbean highlighted the problems facing the club, have been dealt another blow with news that they will be without five of their leading players for December's Champions League.

The competition rules state that teams must field the squad at the date they won their qualifying competitions which, in Middlesex's case, was July 26. That means that Neil Dexter, who was signed post season from Kent, and Neil Carter, a short-term loan signing from Warwickshire, are both ineligible. Dirk Nannes is also missing from the squad as he is representing Victoria.
"The rules are clear that only those players who enabled the squad to win the domestic championship can play in the Champions League," Sundar Raman, the chief executive of the Champions League, told Cricinfo. "We are communicating with Middlesex, and will reiterate the rules."

Two other key batsman, Owais Shah and Andrew Strauss, are in India with the England squad and Middlesex officials had hoped that the pair might be released for the tournament as it takes place between the end of the ODIs and the first Test. However, following negotiations between the ECB and Middlesex it is expected the county's request will be declined.

"I think we have been hit badly," Murali Karthik told Cricinfo. "I think we should at least be allowed Dexter because he has signed for Middlesex for the next two years and we have a few players going. In their absence, I am afraid we will be fielding a second-string side. Shah and Strauss are our top batsmen. As a result, we will come into the tournament as one of the weaker sides, though I don't know what Sialkot from Pakistan will look like."

The only glimmer of good news came with the announcement that Ed Joyce, who joins Sussex at the end of the year, will make his final appearances for Middlesex in India.

Sutherland urges India to use power wisely

India must use its growing power in world cricket to keep the game on the right path rather than becoming obsessed with short-term issues like code-of-conduct hearings, James Sutherland, Cricket Australia's chief executive, has said. He said there was little the rest of the cricketing world could do to match India's power, so Indian administrators needed to take greater responsibility for the game's welfare.
Sutherland was speaking in Melbourne in the lead-up to the Nagpur Test, before India confirmed that their starting line-up would not include Gautam Gambhir, who was suspended for one Test for elbowing Shane Watson. It was unclear whether Gambhir was in the side or out of it - even India's captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, on the day before the match, said he was "almost sure" he wouldn't be playing.
Sutherland said it was clear India viewed such behavioural issues differently from Australia. "They tend to look at these sorts of issues and code of conduct decisions in a different sort of light," Sutherland said. "We have seen in the last probably five years, at least four times where they have tried some sort of approach to appeal and, where the appeal hasn't been successful, taken it to another level."
In January, India were seriously considering whether to continue with their tour of Australia after Harbhajan Singh was suspended for allegedly racially abusing Andrew Symonds - a ban that was later overturned on appeal. And in 2001, India refused to accept Virender Sehwag's suspension and named him for a Test against South Africa. The match was stripped of its Test status when the teams agreed to lock the match referee Mike Denness out of the stadium.
Sutherland said "you can always argue" that India had too much power over the sport and compared their influence in the ICC with the role the United States plays in the United Nations. However, he felt the other cricketing countries could do little but accept the status quo.
"The power that India has is obviously connected a lot to the financial contribution that they make to the game," he said. "Something like 70% of cricket revenue is generated out of India and to that end it means that I think they have, in recent times, come to realise that with that they can influence more than perhaps they have done in the past.
"With that ability to influence obviously comes power and, as someone once told me, with wealth comes responsibility. That's something that ideally you would like to see India continue to take a leadership role in helping the game to be better rather than focusing on taking these sorts of issues that we're talking about today, with Gambhir, down the wrong path."

Afghanistan wins another title

A fine spell of spin bowling from player-of-the-tournament Mohammad Nabi helped Afghanistan clinch the World Cricket League Division 4 with a 57-run victory against Hong Kong. It completes another memorable week for Afghanistan who, along with Hong Kong, were already assured of promotion.
Nabi took 4 for 9 as Hong Kong fell away to 122 all out, but it was Raees Ahmadzi who took the Man-of-the-Match award for the second consecutive game.
Kabir Khan, Afghanistan's coach, has genuine belief that his team are good enough to play in the 2011 World Cup.
"2011 is a dream - I am very hopeful about it," he said. "I want the players to be there as they really deserve to be. We are taking things as they come and obviously we have to go through Division 3 to start with. Once we have achieved that target we will be through to the World Cup Qualifier and we will make another plan for that."
Khan has already begun planning for Division 3 in Argentina in January 2009, which is a six-team event involving the two qualifiers from this event, plus Papua New Guinea, Cayman Islands, Argentina and Uganda.
"We have time on our side now. The guys have already started playing as a team. We need to raise our game a bit and be a bit fitter and be more mentally prepared for the tournament," Khan said.
"We have options for our training camp. We could go to Pakistan or India. I would prefer to have a training camp with similar conditions to Argentina. If we have a camp in Afghanistan or Peshawar it will be winter and it will be cold, while the weather in Argentina will be warm."
Hong Kong coach Aftab Habib was delighted with his team's performance despite the final defeat. Zain Abbas, Hussain Butt and Tabarak Dar have been in excellent form all week and Habib thinks his side have the ability to compete at a higher level.
"I don't want to look too far ahead but it is a dream for me and it is a dream for a lot of our players. Our next main aim is to do well in Division 3," Habib said. "It is an achievable dream and it is just a matter of putting in a lot of hard work. Everything is achievable. I think we are getting better and better every time we play. Coming here early has really helped us and I know we can go forward.
"The boys have to keep working hard at their skills and their fitness, as the higher level you go you obviously have to be a lot fitter as well."
In the final, which is used for ranking purposes, batting first on a turning track, Afghanistan made 179 all out. Ahmadzi (49) and Nowroz Mangal (40) put on a vital partnership of 66 for the fifth wicket. Nizakat Khan (4-29), a 16-year-old legspinner, showed great maturity in dismissing Afghanistan's lower order.
In reply, Hong Kong started strongly but quickly fell away as Nabi once again showcased his spinning talent. Hamid Hassan almost finished the final in grand style with a hat-trick, but he overstepped when bowling a pinpoint yorker.
In the third/fourth play-off, Italy defeated Tanzania by 70 runs at University, while Fiji secured fifth place with a 27-run win over Jersey.
Cassim Suliman, ICC's regional development manager for Africa, paid tribute to the work of the Tanzania Cricket Association in the organisation of the week-long tournament.
"[They] have done an excellent job in staging the World Cricket League Division 4, which provides an important opportunity for sides from across the world to gain a pathway to the World Cup and play competitive cricket in a global structure," he said
"Tanzania's young players, many of whom have come into the game as a result of the excellent schools programme, have gained invaluable experience of playing against experienced cricketers and I am sure that this will help them improve in the future."

South Africa drop troubled Gibbs

Batsman Herschelle Gibbs has been dropped from South Africa's side after breaking a team curfew before their Twenty20 match against Bangladesh.
He will miss the three-match one-day series against the Tigers, which starts on Friday.
Gibbs, 34, who recently split from his wife, will also be required to attend an alcohol rehabilitation course.
"It is clear that he has developed a problem that needs to be addressed," said team manager Mohammed Moosajee.
Although South Africa coach Mickey Arthur said the discipline breach was "unacceptable", Moosajee offered a more sympathetic voice.
"We are not trying to punish Herschelle but rather to help him," said Moosajee.
"He has been under a lot of pressure lately, notably from the publicity surrounding his recent divorce. "He still has a lot to offer South African cricket and his many fans but this has to be done in line with team structures and disciplines."
Gibbs's wife, Tenielle, blamed his escalating drinking problem as one of the reasons for the failure of their marriage after only one year.
South Africa's selectors have decided not to name a replacement for Gibbs, so Hashim Amla and Justin Ontong are likely to open the batting in the one-dayers against Bangladesh.
Johan Botha will continue to captain the team in Graeme Smith's absence.
Smith is still recovering from an elbow injury but hopes to make a return at some stage during the one-day series.

Iresh Pushpakumara dies aged 21

Iresh Pushpakumara, a 21-year-old left-arm chinaman bowler from Kalutara in Sri Lanka, has died in Colombo General Hospital after a brief illness.
Pushpakumara impressed during the 2008-09 Under-23 Division One tournament by taking 40 wickets at 14.50 in seven matches for Panadura SC. He was the third highest wicket-taker in the tournament after Ragama CC's Ranesh Perera (46 wickets) and SSC's Milan Fernando (41).
Pushpakumara's best figures were 9 for 75 against his former club Lankan CC. He captained Sri Sumangala College to victory in their annual cricket match against Moratu Vidyalaya in 2006-07 taking a match haul of 11 wickets.

Shane Bond rules out international comeback

Shane Bond has spoken of his unhappiness with the way he has been treated by New Zealand Cricket and said that he will not play for his country again, even if the stand-off with the ICL is resolved.

"I'm disappointed with the way my country's cricket board treated me," he told the PTI agency. "I don't want to represent New Zealand in Test matches or one-day internationals any more.

"Despite clearing me for the tournament earlier, the cricket board later changed their mind and stepped back from their stand. I am quite disappointed with that. I still enjoy playing cricket. I'm having a great time with the game, which has given me career and financial security."

Bond said he joined ICL after getting an assurance from the New Zealand board that he would be able to play international cricket. However, the board backtracked and he was asked to choose between ICL and New Zealand.

He was disappointed with the way his international career ended. "There were lots of politics going on in the background. It was disappointing not to finish on your terms for New Zealand. Playing the last game and have your family come and get to watch it."

Bond said financial reasons had prompted him to join the league. "I didn't know then I was not going to play for New Zealand, of course. You are always worried about kids; to give more than you got. After ICL, the financial pressure was off. I was just realistic. I was 32, had lots of injuries and I knew I had only two years or so of cricket. It was difficult to travel away with a young family. From the financial side it was just common sense. Family comes first; this money has made a massive difference. I discussed the proposition with my wife and went through thoroughly."

Asked whether he joined ICL because New Zealand was in decline as a team and would he have done it if he were playing for a strong team like Australia, Bond said he couldn't answer the hypothetical scenario. "I didn't think team was in decline. We were disappointed with the World Cup. We still had the makings of a good side."

He said he had informed his team-mates about the decision and they understood and respected it. "They were fully supportive. They were just disappointed with how it was handled (by the board). Some of them were also in dialogue with ICL and a few joined IPL later. I still follow New Zealand cricket. They are some of my best mates and I would always support them."

He also lashed out at the administrators who were preventing ICL players from participating in official cricket. "I was five when I started dreaming about playing cricket for New Zealand and someone, a bureaucrat, who has never played the game, takes it away from me. It's just ridiculous," he said. "ICC needs to really take control of the game. If this sort of behaviour carries on and players get banned the game loses its credibility."

McCullum named Player of the Year - New Zeeland

Brendon McCullum has been named New Zealand's Player of the Year following a prolific season during which he starred at both international and domestic level. McCullum was given the award for 2007-08 at a ceremony in Auckland in addition to receiving the Walter Hadlee Trophy for one-day batting.

Dion Nash, one of the national selectors and a member of the awards selection panel, said McCullum had earned the recognition not only through his explosive batting but also his first-rate glovework. "In the domestic and international one-day and Twenty20 competitions he outperformed everyone else," Nash said.

"Who will forget his 170 from 108 balls for the Otago Volts in the State Shield final or his 80 from 28 balls against Bangladesh in Queenstown? While his batting was breathtaking at times, so were some of the wicketkeeping catches he took. During a long and demanding season he retained his extremely high standards throughout, including the Test series against England in England."

McCullum's year also featured one of the most memorable innings in Twenty20 history, when he kicked off the inaugural IPL match with a brilliant 158 from 73 balls. But despite his all-round success McCullum missed out on the new JR Reid Best Allrounder award, which went to Jacob Oram, who scored two Test centuries, three ODI fifties and collected 37 first-class wickets at 16.12

The Walter Hadlee Trophy for bowling in one-day internationals went to Kyle Mills, who over the past year was making his return from a severe knee injury. Mills took 40 ODI wickets over the past 12 months, including a career best of 5 for 25 against South Africa in Durban last November.

The Redpath Cup for the best batsman in first-class cricket went to Ross Taylor, who made his Test debut in South Africa late last year. Taylor's maiden Test century came in Hamilton, where he helped set up a New Zealand victory over England, and he added another Test hundred in a losing side at Old Trafford.

The Winsor Cup, for first-class bowling, went to Chris Martin. One of three players who appeared in all ten Tests during the past year, Martin collected 34 wickets at 30.64.

Nathan McCullum was named the State Cricketer of the Year following an excellent all-round 2007-08 season in which he averaged 36.10 in first-class cricket and also picked up 17 wickets. The Young Player of the Year was Kane Williamson, who captained New Zealand to the semi-finals of the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia.

Nicola Browne was given the Ruth Martin Cup as the best batsman in women's cricket, Helen Watson picked up the Phyl Blackler Cup for women's bowling and Sara McGlashan was named Women's State Cricketer of the Year. Richard Hadlee was also recognised for outstanding services to cricket and received the Sutcliffe Medal.

I was removed by the peple - Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly has said he believes people outside the team poisoned Greg Chappell against him, leading to his removal from the captaincy and, for a while, from the team. Ganguly, who will bow out after the Nagpur Test against Australia, said he would not have been in the team for the current Test series against Australia if the "old selection committee had stayed" and that he would have "thought differently" about his retirement had he still been playing one-day cricket.

"The thing that hurt me the most, in my whole career, was that public email he [Chappell] sent - what was written in it and the tone in which it was written," he told the Indian Express. "It was very upsetting, and I found it strange because I didn't think we'd spent enough time together in the team for him to form such a strong opinion about me. I'm convinced that some people had poisoned him against me."

Asked whether they were people in the team, he said, "No, outside the team.'

The email was subsequently leaked to the media and Ganguly was out of the team till he staged a comeback late in 2006.

Chappell was appointed as coach with the backing of Ganguly, then India captain. "I'd discussed my batting with him a couple of times and he'd been very helpful. Most of the others wanted [Tom] Moody but I pushed for Chappell. You could say it was my biggest mistake, but I had the best for Indian cricket at heart. People joke with me that I was to blame for getting them stuck with him."

Ganguly suggested he might have continued for longer if he was still a part of India's ODI team. "I'm sure it's [retirement] never easy for anyone," he said. "But there were a lot of factors. I'd been left out of the Irani team, and I'd been out of the one-day side for a while. The fact that I wasn't playing ODIs played a big part. If I'd been playing in both forms of the game, perhaps I would've thought differently. I always wanted to leave on a high. There is no point being pushed around, dragging on for the last few years when nobody wants you."

Ganguly, however, said he still had "great respect" for Dilip Vengsarkar, the chairman of the previous selection committee. "If he hadn't been the chief selector, I would've never made a comeback in 2006 [in South Africa]. I may not have agreed with his dropping me from the one-day team and the Irani, but that's okay."

Ganguly felt his fielding was the reason that cost him a place in the ODI team; he was dropped for the CB Series in Australia earlier this year. "I did think I should have played one-day cricket for longer. I was included in only some 30-odd matches in the last three years. In no other country can a player who's scored 12,000 runs in his career be used so sparingly.

"I believe it had to do with my fielding, and because they wanted to build a team for the 2011 World Cup. I didn't think I'd be around for that long, so I knew my one-day career was over after being left out for the Australia series."

We feel un done by the rules - middlex CCC

Vinny Codrington, Middlesex's chief executive, has said the county does "feel penalised" by rules that would prevent their leading players from taking part in the Champions Twenty20 League in India in December.

Middlesex will be affected by a tournament rule under which they can use only those players on their books when they qualified for the Champions League. That rules out Neil Dexter, who was signed post season from Kent, and Neil Carter, a short-term loan signing from Warwickshire. Dirk Nannes is also missing from the squad as he is representing Victoria.

They are also unlikely to have their two England players, Owais Shah and Andrew Strauss, who will be part of the national team touring India. While Shah is part of both the Test and ODI team, Strauss has been included for the two-Test series, which starts on December 14.

"Chennai [Super Kings], for example, have got four internationals while it doesn't look like England are going to release Shah and Strauss, so we have look at alternatives and we do feel penalised," Codrington told the Daily Telegraph. "We are also only allowed one overseas player while Chennai can pick Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey and Muttiah Muralitharan so we are starting behind the eight-ball.

"The guys will go out early and we are having to pay for that as they will not fund us being there until the 30th [November] but we want to give ourselves the best chance of competing," Codrington said. "We let the Trinidad match get away from us and we were stuffed by the Stanford team, although not as badly as England were."

Swann ready for India challenge

Graeme Swann is hoping that a return to the subcontinent will bring a change of fortune for him as England begin their tour of India. Swann is part of both the one-day and Test squad, but although he isn't guaranteed a starting place in either side he is hoping conditions will be in his favour.

He played a key role in England's one-day series win in Sri Lanka last year, taking seven wickets in four matches, but has since struggled to maintain his place in the team. He hasn't played an ODI since June and against South Africa he was sidelined by the emergence of Samit Patel. However, he was selected for the final two matches in the Stanford Super Series and with conditions likely to favour spin he could partner Patel over the next month.

"I am really excited, I can't wait to get out there because I did well in Sri Lanka last year, the wickets obviously suit spin bowling more than other parts of the world," Swann told the Press Association. "So I hope to play a big role in both the one-dayers and the Test matches."

The tour includes seven one-day internationals, starting in Rajkot on November 14, followed by two Tests before Christmas. The last time England toured India they lost the one-day series 5-1, following an impressive drawn Test series, and Swann knows it's vital that the squad begin strongly this time around.

"The start of this tour is the most important couple of weeks we have got left in this year because if we start well and get off on the right footing then it sets you up for the whole trip," he said. "The last thing you want to do when you are on a tour like India and you're travelling, it's hectic and you're not in places that you're familiar with, is lose the first couple.

"Suddenly it can seem like a whirlwind, flying around, playing games but never having time to prepare. On the same basis if you are winning, you just can't wait to play again."

England had 12 hours in London after arriving back from Antigua before departing for Mumbai and Swann said the team has already moved on from the disappointment of missing out on a million dollars each.

"I was a lot less bothered than I thought I'd be," he said. "Even though it was a big week in terms of publicity, it still ranks low in the grand scheme of England cricket.

"The journey back after the match was very English. There was a lot of mickey-taking and Paul Collingwood came out with 'don't worry lads, at least we got to the final'."