IPL 5 Play offs LIne up

Qualifier 1: Daredevils v KKR at Pune 

May 22, 2012 (20:00 local | 14:30 GMT | 19:30 PKT)

Eliminator: Super Kings v Mum Indians at Bangalore 
May 23, 2012 (20:00 local | 14:30 GMT | 19:30 PKT)

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No need for immediate post-mortem - Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly, the Pune Warriors captain, has said the side does not need an immediate post-mortem after their disastrous IPL season ended on Saturday with a ninth consecutive defeat, to Kolkata Knight Riders. Warriors won only four matches in 2012, the same as in their maiden season in 2011, out of 16 and finished last.

"Any post-mortem that needs to be done should be done after some time," Ganguly said. "Right now, the boys need to get away from here and go back to their respective homes. It's very hard for them too. They have been selected to win matches and that hasn't happened. It's a new franchise and things will only get better from here on. We need to look at a lot of things like team selection."

Wayne Parnell, the South Africa and Warriors fast bowler, said that wrong selection and injuries to key players were major reasons for the franchise's poor showing. "There are a number of factors. We have missed Yuvi [Yuvraj Singh]. We have had key guys injured throughout the season. Graeme Smith has been injured. [Ashok] Dinda started off really well, picked up an injury and has been out for some time. I think Murali Kartik's back stiffened up; Alfonso Thomas is injured as well. That combined with probably picking the wrong teams for certain pitches.

"At the end of the day we are professional cricketers and on every wicket we need to try and win games but this season we have been really, really poor. I thought last year we had injuries to local players, especially fast bowlers, which set us back a bit. I honestly thought we would do better [this season]. We showed that in our first few games. We then lost a few tight games and it went pear-shaped from there."

Robin Uthappa, the Warriors wicketkeeper and highest run-getter this season, believed that the Pune pitch also added to the side's woes. "It's the toughest wicket we have played in the country and it's very difficult to score runs here. Hopefully, it gets better and we have belters next season."

With his side struggling, Ganguly's individual performance also drew criticism. He scored 268 runs from 15 innings but was unable to accelerate with a strike-rate of 98.89. Parnell said that while having Ganguly's experience in the squad had been "massive", it did not matter who played as long as he performed. "It does not matter who you have in the team, whether you have Sourav Ganguly or a 20-year old Indian guy, if he is going to score runs or take wickets you got to pick him."

Uthappa said Ganguly had done the best he could do. "You have to respect his age well. It's the format that is most challenging for someone of his age," Uthappa told iplt20.com. "He has done a wonderful job for us in whatever capacity he could."

Uthappa also said Warriors were involved in several close games but could not finish them. "There were so many games where we won 35 overs out of 40 … we played close games this year, but on the whole, we were bad. As a unit, we never felt we were not up to the mark. We had quality players, we were a very strong side, but somehow results never showed that. Even the atmosphere in the dressing room was very positive. We lost games by five runs or seven runs, even by one run. Those kinds of defeats hit you hard. We couldn't come back from there.

Warriors had let their supporters down, Uthappa said, after they came out in large numbers in Pune despite their franchise losing consistently. "We want to apologise to the people in Pune. Even the afternoon games were full and they didn't mind coming to support us in insane heat. There were so many times that we kept telling ourselves that lets win games for them, they sit in so much heat and support us

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'I've played my last game of cricket' - Gilchrist

Adam Gilchrist, the Kings XI Punjab captain, has said his playing career looks to be over. Gilchrist, who retired from international cricket in 2008, captained Deccan Chargers to the IPL title in 2009 and took over the leadership of Kings XI in 2011. The defeat against Delhi Daredevils in Dharamsala on Saturday, he said, was his last game, and added he would consider a full-time coaching role with Kings XI if offered; he'd been carrying the dual responsibility of captain and coach/mentor this season.

"I would say I've played my last game of cricket just there," Gilchrist said after the match. "I'll go away and have a think about it and talk to the franchise. If the franchise is still keen to keep me involved as coach, which is a role I've really enjoyed, I find that I still enjoy being around the group. To be honest I didn't miss the cricket that much.

"I loved the fact that I could play the last couple of games, but I didn't have the horrible desire that I was missing out. There isn't that fire burning in my belly quite like it used to. I have to think about it but I just feel I won't be playing."

Kings XI were shut out of contention for a place in the playoffs after they were beaten in their final league game by Daredevils. Gilchrist missed nearly a month of the IPL action this season due to a hamstring injury. "To miss the playoffs was disappointing. But there were some positives, especially the performance of some of the domestic players. Mandeep Singh, Gurkeerat Singh, Parvinder Awana... They've all done well and the exciting thing is that there's still scope for them to learn, improve, develop and make that adjustment to the next level."

Gilchrist has played 67 IPL games, scoring 1775 runs at 27.73 and a strike-rate of 140.20. He's scored two centuries and 10 fifties. Of his IPL experience, Gilchrist said: "The IPL will feature prominently in my memories of cricket. To come with a team that was last the previous year and win the title was very special (Deccan Chargers). One of the great memories of my cricket career was at this ground last year -- that partnership (206 against Royal Challengers Bangalore) with Shaun (Marsh). So yeah, it has been a great experience

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Ajmal not keen on developing new variations

Saeed Ajmal is known for his straight talk and has a tendency to make big, carefree declarations at press conferences. On Saturday though, which was the last day of Pakistan's preparatory camp in Lahore, he was rather cautious while fielding the media's questions. On the tour of Sri Lanka, he said, he will look to keep things 'simple'.

Does he have another new delivery to unveil, following the 'teesra' that he dished out against England in the UAE earlier this year? "There is no need to introduce any new delivery, let us keep things simple," Ajmal said. "Mastering any new delivery takes time and a lot of work is involved in it. With more varieties, more complications are created [for the bowler]. So I would like to just take control of my conventional spin, which is giving me results."

For now, Ajmal said, he is focussing on just bowling at his best and displacing South Africa's Dale Steyn as the world's No. 1 Test bowler. "Presently my focus is to win the series [in Sri Lanka] for Pakistan. The goal is to archive the No. 1 spot [on the rankings], for that I am putting in a lot of hard work."

Ajmal did not have much of an impact the previous time Pakistan played in Sri Lanka, as the visitors went on to lose both the Tests and ODIs. This time, Ajmal is looking to compensate for that below-par showing. "Things are going in my way [recently], I will try to extend my recent form. I am ready to take on the Sri Lanka challenge once again."

"My body is fully fit and ready to cope the heat [in Sri Lanka], and I know onus will be on the spinners. We[spinners] have to bowl more overs than the fast bowlers because of the heat. But I think we have fast bowlers who can provide a breakthrough even in shorter spells, and they will be equally important. [Abdur] Rehman I make a good pair, and we are ready to bowl longer spells."

While wary of the likes of Thilan Samaraweera and Kumar Sangakkara, Ajmal said Pakistan is quite confident. "We have been practicing assuming that we will be playing on batting [batsmen-friendly] pitches there. We have been doing well for quite a long time now, so I don't think plans will be difficult for us to execute. They have got some good batsman like Sanga and Samaraweera, who had scored runs against us the last time in the UAE, but we still produced good results against them."

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Smith and Tendulkar crush Rajasthan

Mumbai Indians tried out their eighth different opening combination for the season and it clicked - Dwayne Smith and Sachin Tendulkar, with the help of a large dose of luck, put on the highest stand for the first wicket in the tournament to crush Rajasthan Royals in Jaipur.

At the halfway stage of this inconsequential match, the omens were good for Royals. Since Shane Watson's arrival, Royals' form has closely mirrored his batting form. Each time Watson has fired Royals have won, and every failure with the bat has led to defeat. He top scored with 45, lifting the Royals to 162. They have never lost a home game when they have scored more than 160.

All that was brushed aside, as Smith and Tendulkar set up only the fifth ten-wicket victory in IPL history. It looked like a completely one-sided encounter but the opening pair had plenty of close calls.

Smith was beaten plenty of times early on and his swipes repeatedly landed in non-man's land. There were several clear-cut chances as well - Ajit Chandila shelled a caught-and-bowled chance, Dishant Yagnik couldn't collect cleanly after Smith was beaten by a Brad Hogg wrong 'un, Siddharth Trivdedi caught him off a no-ball, and Tait couldn't even get his hands on a top-edge skier.

Tendulkar, too, wasn't at his elegant best; he was put down by Watson at midwicket, and then a paddle-sweep was top-edged over the keeper and slip, and wasn't exactly comfortable through much of the innings.

In between, there were some clean hits as well from the openers. Tendulkar got going with a front-foot cover drive off Tait, and Smith repeatedly played the short-arm pull behind square leg for boundaries. The match really began to slip away from Royals in the 11th over, when Smith clubbed Chandila for consecutive sixes to take Mumbai Indians close to their first century opening stand of the season.

A couple of overs later, Chandila let a ball through his hands to concede a boundary, leaving Rahul Dravid shaking his head. Besides the poor fielding, the bowling also gave away too many free runs - 15 wides and a no-ball sliced 10% from the target.

If it ended badly for Royals, it hadn't begun well either. Mumbai fast bowler Dhawal Kulkarni, playing his first match of the season, cut short what could be Dravid's final competitive innings. Kulkarni also added the scalp of Ajinkya Rahane, Royals' most prolific scorer this season, later in the Powerplay.

Once again it seemed Royals were looking to Watson for acceleration. He wasn't timing it as well as he would have liked, but the burden wasn't entirely on him as Stuart Binny chipped in with a free-swinging 30. The innings got a jumpstart when Binny caned Harbhajan Singh for 22 runs in the 10th over, slog-sweeping him over square leg for six, and also picking off three fours in the over. Watson joined the fun as he connected well on his third swipe at Smith, sending the ball for six over his favourite deep midwicket region.

Binny was then run-out through an athletic bit of footwork from Kieron Pollard in his follow-through, and a couple of overs later Watson miscued a heave off Pollard, leading to a loss of momentum. Owais Shah and Ashok Menaria, though, capitalised on some indisciplined bowling from Mumbai Indians to take Royals to what seemed a competitive total.

It didn't prove near enough as Mumbai Indians went into the playoffs with a extra shot of confidence. The questions for them will be about their combination after a couple of their experiments worked. Do they stick with the same openers or revert to Tendulkar-Gibbs? Also, does Kulkarni deserve another chance or should they go back to the experience of Munaf Patel

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England in for test of nerve and character

Sometimes it is a delight to be proved wrong. Before this series, many of us had assumed that it would require a minor miracle for West Indies to win. Yes, their recent performances had shown signs of promise. Yes, cricket is a gloriously unpredictable game. And yes, England endured a chastening winter. But West Indies have not won an overseas series, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe aside, since 1995. They are missing some of their top players. They have won only eight out of their last 80 Tests, while England, striving to retain their No.1 ranking, have an excellent record in their own conditions. It was hard to be wildly optimistic.

But West Indies have played some fine cricket. They are not the finished article - few teams ever attain that - but, after some truly miserable years, they have given their supporters renewed reason for pride, for joy and for hope. Few, be they from Bridgetown, Brisbane or Birmingham, will resent that. If this proves to be another step on West Indies' journey back towards the top of world cricket, then the game will be all the richer for it.

Let us not get ahead of ourselves. This match is not over. The pitch remains flat and, with Graeme Swann now coming in at No.11, England's batting line-up is deep. West Indies have flattered to deceive a few times of late and they may yet rue the absence of a frontline spinner. But whatever happens on the final day - and the fact that either side could still win is a joy in itself - West Indies have shown they are progressing. On a ground on which England have won five of their last six Tests (and drawn the other), the tourists have proved they are a force with which to be reckoned.

If West Indies do go on to win - and whatever happens, they should take encouragement from this performance - it will prove a cruel result for Stuart Broad. After claiming seven wickets in the first innings, Broad claimed four more in the second to claim his first 10-wicket match. He may yet have a role to play in winning this Test with the bat, but there is little more he could have done to win it with the ball.

It is one of the enduring ironies of a team game that individual excellence is often celebrated more than team success. In years to come when tour parties are shown around Lord's, they will see the honours board and conclude that Broad's performance must have been head and shoulders above that of his colleagues.

	While England have come a long way since the debacle of Jamaica in 2009 it is worth noting that five of England's top seven here also played in that game

It is not entirely true. Broad, who became the first England bowler to claim ten wickets in a match here since Ian Botham in 1978, certainly bowled well. But he did not bowl so much better than James Anderson. Not eight wickets in the match better, anyway. Anderson beat the bat as often as anyone and, by conceding fewer than two an over, maintained pressure throughout. Tim Bresnan, too, who conceded 100 for the first time in his Test career, bowled somewhat better than his figures suggested, while Swann claimed the two key wickets - Darren Bravo and Shivnarine Chanderpaul - on a pitch offering him little. The truth is that England bowled as a unit and, on this occasion, Broad reaped the rewards.

It is, however, worth reflecting on Broad's progress over the last ten months or so. Before July 2011, Broad possessed a modest Test bowling record, with 107 wickets at an average of 36.25. Since then, he has claimed 51 wickets at 17.27. He is finally developing into the bowler his talent always suggested he could be. He is still only 25, too.

The improvement is not coincidental. Broad has learned his trade and matured. Where once he would respond to adversity with a barrage of short balls and an outburst of temper, he has learned that it is smarter to maintain a fuller length and continue probing around the top of off stump. He has always been able to move the ball in the air and off the pitch; he has always gained bounce. It is just that he now knows how to use those weapons. His best delivery is probably no better than it ever has been. It is just that he bowls it more often with fewer poor deliveries in between. He is still some way from becoming the Glenn McGrath style bowler to which he aspires but he is heading in the right direction. Indeed, McGrath's bowling average on his 26th birthday - 27.01 - is perhaps closer to Broad's - 30.12 - than might be expected. The best could still be ahead of him.

The fourth day offered a reminder of how Test cricket used to be. With the run rate struggling to climb over two-and-a-half an over and the England attack struggling to gain the movement we have come to expect from them, they were instead obliged to rely on the timeless virtues of discipline, control and patience.

Perhaps England could have bowled just a little straighter to Chanderpaul; perhaps they could have bowled just a little fuller to Marlon Samuels, but these are carping criticisms. They bowled well on a pitch offering little assistance. West Indies just batted admirably.

This was another impressive performance from the tourists. While Chanderpaul's defiance was no surprise - what else would you expect from him? - the contributions of Samuels, Denesh Ramdin and Darren Sammy were less anticipated. They may yet come to rue the run-outs they suffered in both innings and the ninth-wicket stand between Swann and Ian Bell, but the margins between these sides are not nearly as large as the Test rankings might suggest.

The pressure is now on England's shoulders. An England side that was bowled out for 72 when chasing 145 less than four months ago. The pitch at Lord's tends to remain true but, if England win, it will be the fourth largest run chase in a Test at Lord's. And, while England have come a long way since the debacle of Jamaica in 2009 when they were bowled out for 51, it is worth noting that five of England's top seven here also played in that game. Their nerve and their character will be tested on day five

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Roach blows hurt England in pursuit of 191

Six minutes before tea on the fourth day, Shivnarine Chanderpaul finally cracked. Another Test innings of monumental patience ended when he swept at Graeme Swann and Marais Erasmus raised his finger for the lbw decision that England begged. Even then Chanderpaul made them wait, and the Lord's crowd with them, as he called for a review, but technology granted no clemency: the ball was shown to be striking leg stump.

The result of his painstaking resistance was a victory target for England of 191, a dominant position certainly, but not an impregnable one. That much was made painfully apparent for England in an awkward four overs batting in murky light in which Andrew Strauss and the nightwatchman James Anderson both succumbed to Kemar Roach, whose mini-burst would have had great West Indies fast bowlers of old purring in appreciation.

Strauss, a first-innings century-maker, succumbed for a single as he edged Roach to Kieran Powell, the finer of two gullies. Roach hit 90mph and Anderson was caught at the wicket, the ball brushing his glove and Anderson deciding, quite rightly, that a review would be untoward now that Sky's high-quality cameras have brought new efficiency to Hot Spot - a message here for the ICC. It could have been worse for England if Jonathan Trott had fallen first ball; Aleem Dar turned down an lbw appeal, West Indies appealed to DRS, but Trott had got millimetres outside the line.

Chanderpaul's birthing pains have set up a great finale. He batted for nearly ten-and-a-half hours in this match. He followed an unbeaten 87 in the first innings with 91 second time around before his laborious resistance, characterised by furtive flicks into the leg side, was finally broken. It was an innings so introspective that it turned all those who watched it into introverts, increasingly wrapped up in their own thoughts as they respectfully observed an innings of rare discipline.

It was not solely about Chanderpaul because alongside him Marlon Samuels summoned one of his most disciplined Test displays, 86 from 172 balls, as West Indies resisted with great dedication. Chanderpaul's placid refusal to quit communicated itself to his partner, who can rarely have batted so judiciously for his country.

Until the grand climax, it was a largely monotonous day, decidedly chilly, too, with a brisk northerly wind. If this abysmal weather continues much longer egg-and-bacon overcoats will be de rigueur in London NW8. But it was a day from which West Indies could draw pride. With their resistance at its height, a couple of players ventured on to the balcony to convey their support for an immensely worthy innings and wore white towels over their heads. If Chanderpaul had batted much longer England's bowlers would soon have been looking for white flags.

Smart stats Shivnarine Chanderpaul scored a half-century in both innings. It is the eighth instance of a West Indian batsman making two fifty-plus scores in a Lord's Test. Chanderpaul remains the only batsman to do so twice (2004 and 2012). Chanderpaul was dismissed in the nineties for the fourth occasion. There have been two other occasions when he has remained not out in the nineties. Four other West Indian batsmen have been dismissed more often than Chanderpaul in the nineties. This is Marlon Samuels' 14th half-century in Tests to go with two centuries. The 86 is, however, his highest score against England The 157-run stand between Samuels and Chanderpaul is joint-seventh on the list of top fifth-wicket stands for West Indies against England. It is the highest fifth-wicket stand for West Indies at Lord's. Stuart Broad became the 8th England bowler to pick up 11 or more wickets in a match against West Indies. Broad's performance is the third-best by an England bowler against West Indies in Lord's Tests. For only the tenth time against top teams (excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe), West Indies managed to score over 300 in their second innings. It is their highest second-innings score in England in the same period. Since 1990, England have failed to chase sub-200targets on only three occasions. None of them is in home Tests but one defeat (1994) came against West Indies in Trinidad when they were bowled out for 46 chasing 194.

At the start of play, West Indies trailed by 35 with six wickets intact and forecasts abounded that the game would be up by lunchtime. But the pitch remained slow, it was too cold to swing, and England were again faced with the problem of how on earth to rid themselves of Chanderpaul's silent resistance. Shiv was Shiv, engaged in an extensive exercise in problem solving. His fifty came in 151 balls and three-and-three-quarter hours as he inside-edged Bresnan past leg stump. It was one of his few errors. He raised his bat as if disgusted with himself.

They began by bowling wide at him, as they had on Saturday, the repetitive cricket causing spectators to bury themselves dejectedly into their overcoats. When they were driven into bowling straighter, Chanderpaul routinely worked them behind square. England might have been better posting a leg gully, anything to suggest that the shot had an element of risk. They were reluctant to bowl fuller with the old ball because there was no movement but as Chanderpaul was as likely to sing a song as drive down the ground their reluctance was hard to fathom.

There was always the chance of a run-out because Chanderpaul is so immersed in his own game that he is often oblivious to the needs of his partner. He might have been run out by Kevin Pietersen's underarm flick from short mid wicket on 38 when Samuels wanted a single. On another time he ambled halfway down the pitch on the assumption of a single to mid-off and had to retreat quickly. His offended glare at Samuels at least found some use for the anti-reflective war paint below his eyes. He did not say anything: like most introverts, he deals in non-verbal cues.

Alongside Chanderpaul, Samuels grew in authority. The lesson about how to construct a Test innings, and fight for your team, was seeping in. He was struck on the shoulder by a short ball from Broad and concluded that it was time to adopt a more aggressive approach, pulling him thunderously through midwicket. England will remain convinced that he is shaky on the short ball.

The second new ball, due one over into the afternoon session, was not the panacea for which England had hoped - but it did account for Samuels. They took it gratefully at 212 for 4, after suffering a wicketless morning, and it was into its sixth over when Stuart Broad had Samuels caught at second slip. It ended a fifth-wicket stand of 157 runs in 54 overs and Broad puffed out his cheeks in relief. The afternoon session leaked only 53 runs in 28 overs, grim fare indeed.

England's seamers had little luck on a pitch that became a little livelier as the day progressed, more reason for West Indies optimism. Tim Bresnan, previously an economical but unthreatening third seamer, found seam movement, Broad occasionally flogged life from a sedate surface and with Anderson also passing the edge at regular intervals without reward, England's frustration became increasingly evident.

After Chanderpaul became the sixth wicket to fall, the Test shifted tempo. West Indies added a further 84 in 25 overs with Darren Sammy, the antithesis of Chanderpaul, providing a freewheeling 37 from 47 balls and taking a particular liking to Bresnan, who he struck for four boundaries in eight balls.

Sammy fell, though, to an outrageous carve, high above his head, at Broad who also had Kemar Roach caught at backward point to finish with match figures of 11 for 163. Denesh Ramdin's resistance ended when Anderson removed his off stump and Shannon Gabriel was bowled, slogging at Swann. England, on the ropes at the close, will have been grateful he did not get out 20 minutes earlier

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Lancashire lose Junaid's services

Lancashire have suffered a blow ahead of their Friends Life t20 campaign after they confirmed Junaid Khan, the Pakistan left-arm quick bowler, would not take up his deal with the club due to international commitments.

Junaid has been named in Pakistan's Test squad for their series against Sri Lanka which coincides with the FLt20 and will now not link up with countryman Yasir Arafat who is Lancashire's other overseas player for the tournament.

Junaid made a positive impression with Lancashire last season where he took 12 wickets in eight t20 matches with an economy rate of six per over, although was not available for Finals Day when Lancashire went out in a semi-final super over against Leicestershire.

He is one of a number of international players who have had to withdraw from county contracts in recent weeks including Peter Siddle, Faf du Plessis and Mitchell Johnso

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England finally shift Chanderpaul

Six minutes before tea on the fourth day, Shivnarine Chanderpaul finally cracked. Another Test innings of monumental patience ended when he swept at Graeme Swann and Marais Erasmus raised his finger for the lbw decision that England begged. Even then he made them wait, and the Lord's crowd with them, as he called for a review, but technology granted no clemency: the ball was shown to be striking leg stump.

It had been an innings so introspective that it turned all those who watched it into introverts, increasingly wrapped up in their own thoughts as they respectfully observed an innings of rare discipline. The afternoon session leaked only 53 runs in 28 overs, grim fare indeed. At tea, it looked unlikely to spare the West Indies: they led by 110 runs with only four wickets remaining. But in a situation where saving the game was the only thing on their mind his dedication had commanded respect.

Chanderpaul has batted for nearly ten-and-a-half hours in this match, his progress so painstaking that his 26th Test century still eluded him. He followed an unbeaten 87 in the first innings with 91 second time around before his laborious resistance, characterised by furtive flicks into the leg side, was finally broken.

It was not solely about Chanderpaul because alongside him Marlon Samuels summoned one of his most disciplined Test displays, 86 from 172 balls, as West Indies resisted with great dedication. Chanderpaul's placid refusal to quit seemed to have influenced his partner, who produced what flashes of entertainment there were for a patient crowd and who can rarely have batted so judiciously for his country.

It was a monotonous day, decidedly chilly, too, with a brisk northerly wind. If this abysmal weather continues much longer egg-and-bacon overcoats will be de rigueur in London NW8. As for the West Indies players, those who ventured onto the balcony to convey their support for an immensely worthy innings wore white towels over their heads. If Shiv had batted much longer England's bowlers would soon have been looking for white flags.

The second new ball, due one over into the afternoon session, was not the panacea for which England had hoped - but it did account for Samuels. They took it gratefully at 212 for 4, after suffering a wicketless morning, and it was into its sixth over when Stuart Broad had Samuels caught at second slip. It ended a fifth-wicket stand of 157 runs in 54 overs and Broad puffed out his cheeks in relief.

Tim Bresnan, previously an economical but unthreatening third seamer, then produced his most insistent spell of the match, without reward. Broad occasionally flogged life from a sedate surface and with James Anderson also passing the edge at regular intervals without reward, England's frustration became increasingly evident. It was left to Swann to summon a random bit of magic.

At the start of play, West Indies trailed by 35 and forecasts abounded that the game would be up by lunchtime. But the pitch remained slow, it was too cold to swing, and England were again faced with the problem of how on earth to rid themselves of Chanderpaul's silent resistance. Shiv was Shiv, engaged in an extensive exercise in problem solving. His fifty came in 151 balls and three-and-threequarter hours as he inside-edged Bresnan past leg stump. It was one of his few errors. He raised his bat as if disgusted with himself.

They began by bowling wide at him, as they had on Saturday, the repetitive cricket causing spectators to bury themselves dejectedly into their overcoats. When they were driven into bowling straighter, Chanderpaul routinely worked them behind square. England might have been better posting a leg gully, anything to suggest that the shot had an element of risk.

Broad found Samuels' edge; Anderson found Chanderpaul's, but on both occasions the ball fell short of slip. They were reluctant to bowl fuller because there was no movement but as Chanderpaul was as likely to sing a song as drive down the ground their reluctance was hard to fathom. They spent much of the morning trying to get the ball changed, to no avail.

There was always the chance of a run out because Chanderpaul is so immersed in his own game that he is often oblivious to the needs of his partner. He might have been run out by Kevin Pietersen's underarm flick from short mid wicket on 38 when Samuels wanted a single. On another time he ambled halfway down the pitch on the assumption of a single to mid-off and had to retreat as his thought processes were not shared by Samuels. He looked hurt by the thought that he might have been run out and his glare at least found some use for the anti-reflective war paint below his eyes. He did not say anything: like most introverts, he deals in non verbal cues.

Alongside Chanderpaul, Samuels grew in authority. The lesson about how to construct a Test innings, and fight for your team, was seeping in. He was struck on the shoulder by a short ball from Broad and concluded that it was time to adopt a more aggressive approach, pulling him thunderously through midwicket. England will remain convinced that he is shaky on the short ball. Swann's introduction was even more to his liking

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PCB chief invited to IPL final

The BCCI has invited Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Zaka Ashraf to watch the IPL final to be played in Chennai on May 27. Ashraf confirmed that he received the invitation from the Indian board a few days ago.

"I see the invitation as another positive step forward in further normalising bilateral cricket ties between the two countries," Ashraf said. "The invitation will allow me to undertake a two-day visit to India and I plan to use this visit to have informal discussions with the Indian board officials regarding enhancing chances of restoring bilateral cricket ties."

Recently, the BCCI had announced that it had no objection to the participation of Pakistan T20 title-holders Sialkot Stallions in this year's Champions League Twenty20 tournament, a move welcomed by the PCB.

"We want to play India regularly in bilateral matches and we are willing to talk to them at every level to achieve this," Ashraf said. "I will be speaking to them on this when I go to India."

The PCB had been pushing for the inclusion of a side from Pakistan, the only major Test-playing nation to not have had teams in the CLT20 since its inception. Sialkot were invited to the inaugural edition of the tournament towards the end of 2008, but it was put off after the terror attacks in Mumbai in November that year.

Those attacks strained political relations between India and Pakistan and, subsequently, bilateral cricketing ties between the two countries were severed. Pakistan players - with the exception of Azhar Mahmood (who also has a British passport) this year - have not been a part of the IPL since. 

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RCB crash out, Chennai through Play offs

Dale Steyn's first three overs and Virat Kohli's rush of blood, to name a few. Steyn was unplayable with figures of 4-0-8-3, but crucially, he found support from the slower bowlers. Amit Mishra took two in an over to set Royal Challengers back and Ashish Reddy frustrated the batsmen with slower balls in the final stages.  Gayle tried to make room by moving towards leg and bottom edged another fast short ball on to his stumps. Steyn then had Tillakaratne Dilshan lbw in his next over, and Royal Challengers were 40 for 2 when Saurabh Tiwary retired hurt after straining a hamstring in the sixth.

An overthrow that cost six runs was the only major blip on an unusually good day in the field for Chargers. Duminy's leaping catch at short cover to get rid of AB de Villiers was an example of their improvement. The tension was palpable in the Royal Challengers camp as de Villiers walked back, because their tail began at No.7.

Tiwary returned in the tenth over after Mishra's double-strike. He and Kohli kept Royal Challengers in the hunt during their brisk stand of 46, which came at 7.45 runs an over. The plan seemed to be to knock off as many as possible before Steyn returned for his final over. Kohli swung Ashish Reddy over long-on but a repeat of that shot the following ball found the fielder. A furious Kohli swung his bat at thin air in frustration.

Only two boundaries were scored in the Powerplay overs, which produced just 23 runs. By the end of the tenth over, the score was an underwhelming 47 for 3. Duminy, who began watchfully, hit the first of his five sixes when he heaved R Vinay Kumar over long-on in the 16th over. He hit three more in a single over from Muttiah Muralitharan, which cost 20. His knock was valuable in getting Chargers to a middling total on a slow pitch. It turned out to be enough 

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Steyn, Duminy help Deccan knock out RCB

Royal Challengers Bangalore imploded in their most crucial match of the season and failed to qualify for the playoffs after choking in a low-scoring chase. Their defeat in Hyderabad allowed Chennai Super Kings to hang on to fourth spot at the end of the league stage.

Deccan Chargers scratched to 132 on a slow pitch, but their bowlers and fielders lifted the gloom of their campaign with a performance that brought the tournament's most intimidating batting line-up to its knees. Chargers, who spent most of the season languishing at the bottom, left Pune Warriors holding the wooden spoon and moved to eighth spot.

The game was Royal Challengers' to lose. A target of 133 should not have been too daunting for their top heavy batting line-up. The chase had several turning points - Chris Gayle's dismissal, Dale Steyn's first three overs and Virat Kohli's rush of blood, to name a few. Steyn was unplayable with figures of 4-0-8-3, but crucially, he found support from the slower bowlers. Amit Mishra took two in an over to set Royal Challengers back and Ashish Reddy frustrated the batsmen with slower balls in the final stages.

Gayle has largely determined Royal Challengers' fortunes this season, by combining big hits with longevity at the crease. He has, on occasion, started sedately before embarking on a boundary barrage. Today Gayle batted as though he was determined to finish in ten overs, pounding 24 in Manpreet Gony's first over, the second of the innings.

In the third, Gayle had to face Steyn, bowling at serious pace. After ducking under a short ball aimed at his head, Gayle tried to make room by moving towards leg and bottom edged another fast short ball on to his stumps. Steyn then had Tillakaratne Dilshan lbw in his next over, and Royal Challengers were 40 for 2 when Saurabh Tiwary retired hurt after straining a hamstring in the sixth.

An overthrow that cost six runs was the only major blip on an unusually good day in the field for Chargers. Duminy's leaping catch at short cover to get rid of AB de Villiers was an example of their improvement. The tension was palpable in the Royal Challengers camp as de Villiers walked back, because their tail began at No.7.

Tiwary returned in the tenth over after Mishra's double-strike. He and Kohli kept Royal Challengers in the hunt during their brisk stand of 46, which came at 7.45 runs an over. The plan seemed to be to knock off as many as possible before Steyn returned for his final over. Kohli swung Ashish Reddy over long-on but a repeat of that shot the following ball found the fielder. A furious Kohli swung his bat at thin air in frustration.

Steyn returned to knock down Zaheer Khan's middle stump to round off another dream spell. The game was all but sealed for Chargers as the asking rate proved too demanding for Royal Challengers' tail. Kohli sat at the dug out with his pads on, hands on his face, wondering what could have been.

Besides Steyn, Chargers had another South African to thank - JP Duminy. The two-paced pitch produced attritional cricket and Chargers struggled to score at six an over. Duminy did his best to compensate for the failures of his other overseas colleagues with a late surge, pounding five sixes in an aggressive half-century.

Only two boundaries were scored in the Powerplay overs, which produced just 23 runs. By the end of the tenth over, the score was an underwhelming 47 for 3. Duminy, who began watchfully, hit the first of his five sixes when he heaved R Vinay Kumar over long-on in the 16th over. He hit three more in a single over from Muttiah Muralitharan, which cost 20. His knock was valuable in getting Chargers to a middling total on a slow pitch. It turned out to be enough. 

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PCB to confirm Australia series venue next week

 

Malaysia, South Africa and Zimbabwe are among the countries Pakistan are considering as options to host their limited-overs series against Australia in August. The series was set to be held in Sri Lanka, but SLC pulled out last week due to a clash in the series schedule with the first season of the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL). The PCB said that a final decision on the venue will be taken within a week.

"It was indeed a setback to our plans when Sri Lanka pulled out," Intikhab Alam, PCB director international cricket, told reporters in Lahore. "But they have their own reasons and we have no problem with it however and have been searching for alternatives. Malaysia, South Africa and Zimbabwe are the options we have marked. A decision will be taken within next one week."

In March this year, the SLC had agreed in principle to host the series. At that time, there had been no decision on the SLPL. The proposed first season of the league had been cancelled last year and it was only earlier this month that a new deal was signed by the Sri Lanka board to hold the SLPL this August.

Pakistan and Australia are due to play five ODIs and three Twenty20 internationals against each other. The original plan was to play just one Twenty20, but with the World T20 immediately after the series, the countries' boards have agreed to play two extra matches.

Pakistan have had to play their home series in neutral venues since the attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009. While the United Arab Emirates has been Pakistan's usual "home" venue since then, the venue was ruled out due to the extreme heat and the month of Ramzan.

Pakistan's last home series against Australia was played in England, in the summer of 2010, after which they have hosted all their home series, including one against Sri Lanka and England, in the UAE

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West Indies stumble after bowling fightback

 

West Indies, already widely dismissed as no-hopers after the first two days of a three-match series, lost three top-order wickets for no runs in nine balls on the verge of tea to contemplate the possibility of defeat inside three days as England's first-innings lead of 155 looked more impregnable by the minute.

England's pace attack fired in more short balls than has become their habit and it paid dividends. Adrian Barath fell to some disciplined top-of-off bowling from Tim Bresnan, who found slight movement to have him caught at the wicket, Kieron Powell fell to a sucker punch as skipper Andrew Strauss pushed Ian Bell back to deep square and Powell obligingly hooked Stuart Broad into his hands.

Then Darren Bravo was involved in his second run-out incident of the match, only this time unlike the first innings when Shivnarine Chanderpaul pulled rank, Bravo pulled rank on Kirk Edwards. Bravo squirted Bresnan in front of square on the offside then belatedly turned down the run with Edwards halfway down the pitch, whereupon Jonny Bairstow ran him out with a direct hit.

Earlier, it was a new day, a new ball and a new feel to the first Test. A West Indies bowling attack that had failed to swing or seam the ball the previous day suddenly proved itself a different proposition. England, after sedately building a position of strength on the second day, had to work much harder to extend their advantage as they were dismissed 45 minutes into the afternoon session, losing their last seven wickets while adding another 139 runs.

Bell, another England batsman seeking to recover from a tormented winter, played resourcefully in more demanding circumstances before he was last out for 61, hooking Shannon Gabriel to deep square. His ninth-wicket stand of 55 in seven overs with the ebullient Graeme Swann was a useful bonus for England after a period where West Indies could claim to have dominated.

Fidel Edwards swung it most noticeably and there was a bit off seam about too, with Gabriel picking up his first three Test wickets. The cloud cover was the same and so, as near as made no difference, were the lengths West Indies bowled, the technique they displayed the purpose of their approach. It could only be the ball.

Such are the glorious random aspects of cricket. Weather, pitches and even cricket balls can change from day to day. In some sports, and some parts of the world, the lack of uniformity would be viewed as a weakness; in Test cricket it is rightly seen as a strength. But it must have been galling for West Indies.

On the second day, West Indies laboured, England reached 259 for 3, a lead of 16, and Strauss accepted a wonderful opportunity to restate that his place as England captain was impregnable, and did so too at the ground he loves so much. Presented with more responsive conditions, West Indies' pace attack was more of a challenge, not that it perked up their over rate which was less than 12 an hour.

Strauss himself added only a single to his overnight 121 before West Indies successfully turned to DRS to win a wicket for Kemar Roach. It was a successful choice by the captain, Darren Sammy, who received lukewarm support at best from his bowler and wicketkeeper after umpire Marais Erasmus had turned down the appeal. Hot Spot showed a light inside edge as well as contact with his trousers after the ball had nipped back. Strauss must have been grateful that he had played the bulk of his innings the previous day.

Hot Spot is of higher quality this year, according to the host broadcaster, and now able to pick up the light edges that too often have failed to show up. It was another reminder that the best equipment is essential worldwide if DRS is ever to achieve uniformity. That is one aspect of cricket at least where uniformity might be deemed to be a good thing.

Bairstow, seen yawning on the balcony occasionally the previous day as he watched England make guarded progress, suddenly found himself with a more onerous batting debut than he might have expected. He looked settled for a debutant, made his first Test run with a push to cover and produced three fine boundaries - two leg-side clips and a cover drive - before Roach brought one back to have him lbw. Bell's advice not to review was sound.

England were anxious to push on positively with rain forecast later in the game and Matt Prior took nine runs off Sammy in his first over at the crease. But among recognised batsmen his stumps are hit more than most and, as he imagined he might whip a straight one through the leg side, they were hit once more to bring Gabriel his first Test wicket. The following over, Bresnan, fell for nought, dangling his bat at a delivery from Sammy that seamed away a tad to be caught at the wicket.

England reached lunch at 341 for 7 and Broad faced only one delivery afterwards as he was late on a delivery from Edwards that skimmed his off bail. Swann fell in similar fashion to Prior, bowled by Gabriel as he aimed through midwicket, but not before he had exacted some damage, making 30 from 25 balls as he feasted on several wide, fullish deliveries. He had been welcomed with a stomach-high beamer from Edwards, accidental, but worthy nevertheless of a formal first warning by the umpires for intimidatory bowling.

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Recent record gives Pakistan edge over Sri Lanka - Misbah

 

Misbah-ul-Haq, Pakistan's Test and ODI captain, has said that his team's recent record against Sri Lanka gives it the edge leading into the tour slated for June and July.

"Sri Lanka is always a difficult team to play against, especially in their back yard," Misbah said on the sidelines of Pakistan's preparatory camp in Lahore. "Obviously we have to be at our best in all departments, because they always come hard at the opposition. But our record against them gives us the upper hand, and our confidence level is high."

In their last series against Sri Lanka, in the UAE in October-November 2011, Pakistan won in all three formats. In the three-Test series, they won 1-0, took the ODIs 4-1 and won the one-off Twenty20. They also beat Sri Lanka in the one game the teams played against each other in the Asia Cup in March. However, the previous time the two teams played in Sri Lanka, Pakistan lost the Tests 2-0 and the one-dayers 3-2.

Misbah said Pakistan's improvements on the fielding and fitness fronts would help them this time around. "I think we have shown a lot of improvement in fielding and fitness in last couple of years," he said. "Every coach in the past, whether it was Waqar Younis and Ijaz Ahmed, everyone did a good job [with those disciplines] and now Julien [Fountain, the fielding coach] is doing a great job."

For the Sri Lanka tour, Pakistan have picked specialist players in each format, meaning Misbah has missed out in the Twenty20 squad, and the captaincy was handed over to Mohammad Hafeez. Misbah reiterated that he will be available in the shortest format, should Pakistan require him.

"It [Twenty20] is a format that is widely played in the world and I will keep on playing it," he said. "As far as [ending] my international career is concerned, I think that decision has to be taken by the PCB."

"Obviously the burden on me has been eased, and I can now focus on two formats. But if you are enjoying playing cricket, you can easily cope with it [playing all three formats too].

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Delhi knock out Punjab and take top spot

 

Delhi Daredevils confirmed their standing as the team to beat with a fearsome opening burst from their fast bowlers, Morne Morkel and Umesh Yadav, before a typically brutal David Warner innings pretty much guaranteed top spot. Kings XI Punjab, one of the lower-profile teams in the tournament, managed to stay alive till the final weekend of the league phase but couldn't make it to the playoffs as a power-packed Daredevils line-up dismantled them with ease on a spicy pitch in Dharamsala. The result also meant that Mumbai Indians became the third team to qualify for the playoffs.

On one of the best tracks for fast bowlers in the IPL this season, Daredevils stacked their team with five quicks, four of whom could nudge the 90-mph mark. Morkel and Yadav were virtually unplayable with the new ball, and by the end of the Powerplay overs, Kings XI were reduced to 20 for 4 and their campaign was seemingly over.

Mandeep Singh has been Kings XI's most prolific batsman this season, but he fell for a golden duck as he was drawn into nibbling an away-cutter from Yadav to the keeper. Adam Gilchrist has a century and two fifties in his last three innings in Dharamsala but he was dismissed cheaply this time, top-edging a pull, in what might well be his final competitive innings.

Paul Valthaty's disastrous season continued, as he flailed about in his comeback game against some high-quality pace from Yadav and Morkel before finally holing out for a ten-ball 2. The biggest blow, though, was in the sixth over, when Yadav got Hussey to mishit a shortish ball to mid-on. Yadav finished his first spell with the figures of 3-1-4-3.

Kings XI have been written off before, only to repeatedly show they were no pushovers. They proved it again as Azhar Mahmood, who has been instrumental to Kings XI's fight this season, stabilised the innings with a 57-run stand with Siddharth Chitnis. Both struggled to time the ball early on, but some freebies from Andre Russell helped them find their feet.

There has been a clamour for Russell's inclusion this season, especially given Ross Taylor's horror run with the bat but the allrounder had a day to forget, leaking 51 runs on a day when no one else in his team went at more than 6.25. His worst over was the 17th, which was taken for 22 runs with Gurkeerat powering three boundaries, before Mahmood rounded it off with two more. That lifted the run-rate above six for the first time in the innings.

Kings XI finished with 141, which seemed enough to challenge a Daredevils side missing both Virender Sehwag and Taylor. Those hopes were dashed once Warner unleashed those familiar hits over long-on and midwicket, again highlighting the number of match-winners Daredevils have in their squad.

It wasn't a flawless innings from Warner, who was hit by a bouncer from Ryan Harris early on, edged plenty and was put down at midwicket by Mandeep. That drop came at the end of an over in which Warner had muscled three sixes and a four off Parvinder Awana. Twenty-three came off that over as Awana, who went for only 12 in his four overs last game, watched helplessly.

Warner chopped the first ball of the next over to bring up his 50 off 25 balls on a pitch where most batsmen struggled. He couldn't add to his collection of T20 centuries, though, as he slapped Harris to Mandeep at point in the 13th over. There was a brief lull in the scoring after that, but with the required-rate just above four Daredevils were never really in trouble of losing

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Shah Rukh Khan gets five-year ban from Wankhede

 

The Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has banned Shah Rukh Khan, the Kolkata Knight Riders owner, from entering Wankhede Stadium for five years as a result of his scuffle with security guards after the game between Knight Riders and Mumbai Indians on May 16. The IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla, however, said the ban was not final until the BCCI had its say on the matter.

"The MCA managing committee is forced to ban Shah Rukh Khan from entering Wankhede Stadium for a period of five years," Vilasrao Deshmukh, the MCA president, said in Mumbai. "It was a unanimous decision. It applies to any match whether domestic or international at the Wankhede. We have taken a decision to protect the dignity of our association. BCCI is our parent body and we have written to them informing what had happened. We have no control over BCCI's decision. We are also an independent body with the Wankhede being our property.

"If rules are violated, action will be taken. It does not depend who the individual is. It's a message to everyone, whosoever he or she may be, that stern action will be taken if there is any misbehavior. How can he go inside the ground without proper accreditation? Even I can't go inside the ground if not invited for presentation ceremony."

Shukla said only the Indian board could make the final decision. "State bodies can only recommend but a final decision has to be taken by the BCCI. When the matter comes to BCCI, the board will decide [on the ban]."

The incident took place after Knight Riders had beaten Mumbai Indians. Shah Rukh was accused of trying to walk on to the field of play after the game and MCA officials lodged a complaint against him the Marine Drive police station. They also said he had been drunk and abused officials.

Shah Rukh, however, denied being drunk and said he was reacting to the "obnoxious" and "unpardonable" behaviour of officials at the stadium. He said he had not been present at the match but had gone there after it was over to pick up a large group of his children and their friends. Shah Rukh said he saw security guards manhandling the children and when he objected a group of officials came over and the altercation started.

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IPL 2012 Points Table

Teams	Mat	Won	Lost	Tied	N/R	Pts	Net RR
Daredevils	15	10	5	0	0	20	+0.599
KKR	15	9	5	0	1	19	+0.478
Mum Indians	15	9	6	0	0	18	-0.160
Super Kings	16	8	7	0	1	17	+0.100
RCB	15	8	6	0	1	17	+0.010
Kings XI	15	8	7	0	0	16	-0.172
Royals	14	7	7	0	0	14	+0.335
Warriors	15	4	11	0	0	8	-0.477
Chargers	14	2	11	0	1	5	-0.680

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Broad completes career-best haul

 

England's allrounder Stuart Broad claimed his Test-best figures of 7 for 72 as it took only one ball for the home side to wrap up West Indies first innings on the second morning at Lord's.

The West Indies resumed on 243 for 9 with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 87 not out overnight, hoping that the last man Shannon Gabriel would hang around long enough for him to reach his 26th Test century. But Gabriel, on debut, lasted only one ball, as Broad immediately found a perfect line around off stump and Gabriel edged to Graeme Swann at second slip.

It meant Broad will be on a hat-trick when he bowls for a second time in the match and his figures were the best by an England bowler since James Anderson took 7 for 43 against New Zealand at Trent Bridge in 2008.

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Kenya matches postponed due to security fears

The ICC has confirmed that next month's matches between Kenya and Namibia in Nairobi have been postponed until September 2012 due to security concerns.

Nairobi Gymkhana was to host the four-day ICC Intercontinental Cup match between the two sides from June 6, followed by two 50-over ICC World Cricket League Championship matches on June 11 and 13.

The ICC considered holding the match at an alternate venue but decided against it due to logistical difficulties. The final dates and venue are yet to be announced.

There have been no international matches in Kenya since Ireland's tour in February.

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Vusi Sibanda makes a comeback in Zimbabwe squad

 

Vusi Sibanda has made a return to Zimbabwe's national squad and was included in the 24-man training group to play South Africa in five Twenty20 matches in June. Sibanda was not considered for Zimbabwe's January tour of New Zealand after he chose to play grade cricket in Australia instead of fulfilling domestic commitments in Zimbabwe.

Although Sibanda returned home after a five-week stint for Eastern Suburbs in Sydney before the New Zealand tour, Zimbabwe Cricket's (ZC) cricket committee decided not to select him on principle. At the time, Sibanda was told that if he renewed his commitment to ZC, he would be considered again.

Sibanda finished the 2011-12 season with his local franchise, the Mid West Rhinos, for whom he played four first-class and five limited-overs matches, including a 162 against Mountaineers. Zimbabwe do not have any international assignment through the winter, but Sibanda's path back to the national team appears to be clear as he was included in the preliminary squad for the practice matches against South Africa.

"I am very pleased that the issues are done and dusted," Alan Butcher, Zimbabwe coach, told ESPNcricinfo. "Now, Vusi can move forward and put it out of his mind."

The training squad is a strong group, including many of the faces who steered Zimbabwe to a successful Test comeback in August last year. Brendan Taylor will lead the team propped up by the experience of Hamilton Masakadza, Prosper Utseya, Ray Price, Elton Chigumbura and Tatenda Taibu. Experienced seamer Chris Mpofu also makes a comeback after missing the New Zealand series with a lower back injury.

Some of the newer faces include under-19 wicketkeeper batsman Kevin Kasuza and medium-pacer Richard Muzhange. Zimbabwe have packed the training squad with bowlers as seamers Tendai Chatara and Njabula Ncube as well as legspinner Natsai Mushangwe been given the opportunity to work with the national team.

"I am very happy with the group we've got," Butcher said. "We've decided that in T20s, we should try and look more at allrounders for the side." Chigumbura, Waller, Meth and Shingi Masakadza are the four premier allrounders in the squad.

The five matches, which will take place in Harare from June 20-24, have not been given international status because they will take place outside of the FTP. They will also not be broadcast on television, given ZC's financial crunch. South Africa are hoping to use the matches as preparation for the World T20 in September and Butcher said Zimbabwe will do the same. "It gives us a chance to work on a few things and see the make up of the side," he said. "I was quite happy with the way we played T20 cricket in New Zealand and hopefully we can build on that."

Zimbabwe lost all the matches they played on the New Zealand trip, but gave the best account of themselves in the Twenty20s. "It will be good for us to play against another top side and that's exactly what South Africa are," Butcher said. "We've got a great bunch of guys who have been working hard so we're excited about what's to come." 

Zimbabwe squad: Brendan Taylor (capt), Tatenda Taibu, Elton Chigumbura, Malcolm Waller, Charles Coventry, Forster Mutizwa, Graeme Cremer, Raymond Price, Tendai Chatara, Prosper Utseya, Kyle Jarvis, Chris Mpofu, Brian Vitori, Keegan Meth, Njabulo Ncube, Kevin Kasuza, Chamu Chibhabha, , Hamilton Masakadza, Shingi Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Richard Muzhange, Vusi Sibanda, Craig Ervine

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Ajantha Mendis named in Sri Lanka provisional squad

Sri Lanka spinner Ajantha Mendis and fast bowler Dilhara Fernando have been named in the 30-man provisional squad for the upcoming tours by Pakistan and India. The squad has no new faces.

Mendis and Fernando last played for Sri Lanka during the tour of South Africa last year. Mendis, who suffered a back injury, hasn't played a competitive match since January. Nuwan Pradeep, the fast bowler, is also returning from injury. Pradeep suffered a hamstring tear in the tour match against the South African Invitation XI in Benoni and had to return home. He has since played just one first-class match for Bloomfield Cricket and Athletic Club, picking up four wickets.

Another notable inclusion is the legspinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi, who last played for Sri Lanka in 2007.

Pakistan arrive at the end of this month for a series of two T20Is, five ODIs and three Tests in June-July. India are expected to play a shorter series, comprising five ODIs and one T20, starting July 22

Sri Lanka provisional squad

• Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara, Tharanga Paranavitana, Lahiru Thirimanne, Upul Tharanga, Dinesh Chandimal, Thilan Samaraweera, Prasanna Jayawardene, Chamara Silva, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Thisara Perera, Farveez Maharoof, Isuru Udana, Lasith Malinga, Nuwan Kulasekara, Chanaka Welegedera, Suranga Lakmal, Dhammika Prasad, Shaminda Eranga, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Pradeep, Suraj Randiv, Rangana Herath, Sachitra Senanayake, Ajantha Mendis, Dilruwan Perera, Jeevan Mendis, Kaushal Lokuarachchi

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Lorgat eyes top CSA role

 

Haroon Lorgat, outgoing chief executive of the ICC, has confirmed he would be open to an offer from CSA subject to a complete restructure of the board. The organisation may soon have to search for a new boss following the suspension of Gerald Majola in March and Lorgat, along with current acting CEO Jacques Faul, are among the top candidates.

Majola's suspension after ministerial inquiry chaired by judge Chris Nicholson found that he had breached the Companies' Act when R4.7 million (US $ 671, 428) was paid to staff in bonuses following the successful hosting of the IPL. Nicholson found that CSA lacked sufficient corporate governance and recommended a complete overhaul of the composition of the CSA board, something Lorgat sees as crucial to whether he will consider a role at CSA.

"I thought I would initially take some time out from cricket after leaving the ICC but I have been heartened by the early progress I see at CSA," Lorgat told ESPNcricinfo. "With their Board now committed to restructure, I would be happy to consider a formal approach."

Nicholson studied the Woolf report and Australia's Crawford and Carter report to learn about the latest governance issues in sport. The central tenet he took from both was the principle of independent directorship. "Both [reports] are emphatic that the role of the independent directors is crucial in areas of high risk to the ethics and governance of the game," Nicholson's report read. "Similar sentiments are applicable to CSA."

Lorgat was in charge of the ICC when the Woolf report was compiled and is in favour of greater independence at board level. "With the huge growth experienced in all sports over the last decade and the potential for much more, it is imperative that sports governance models keep pace with the expectations of all stakeholders," he said. "The playing and commercial aspects of the game have transformed enormously but sadly the same cannot be said about the governance and administration standards."

CSA's board comprises 22 members, 11 of whom are the presidents of the provincial affiliates. A further three are black African representatives while the eight others are directors, four of whom are independent. Nicholson recommended a smaller board with more outsiders. The Woolf report suggested a 14-member board for the ICC while Crawford and Carter said Cricket Australia's Board should have a maximum of nine non-executive directors. "A larger board according to them wastes time with procedure, inhibits proper discussion and allows individual directors to shirk their responsibilities without being noticed," Nicholson said.

Nicholson said the advantages of using "outsiders" instead of people who become administrators through the cricketing ranks (starting from club level) will benefit a professional body like CSA. "Lord Woolf and Crawford and Carter emphasise the importance of the Board consisting of competent persons with skills that can contribute to the overall vision of cricket," he said. "They suggest that an analysis of cricket administrations round the world might suggest a predominance of ex-players, accountants or some other category with an insufficient mix of expertise to guide the complex business of cricket administration."

The recommendation for CSA was to form a 12-member board with nine independent directors. "The advantages include a disinclination to favour any province out of proportion to its deserts and a tendency to advance a more national perspective," Nicolson said. The recommendation also included a clause that for a director to be appointed, voted off or any major cricketing decision to be taken at least two-thirds of the provincial affiliates should be in favour.

In accepting the recommendations of the Nicholson report, CSA agreed, in principle, to restructure its board. An eight-person steering committee, consisting of four current board members and four people who have had previous experience in cricket, was named in March to discuss the restructure, which is expected to take place at the next AGM in September. If a new CEO is to be appointed, it would also happen in September, even though Majola's disciplinary hearing is scheduled to be complete by May 31.

The current board have held on to their positions after their most recent meeting with the country's sports minister, Fikile Mbalula, on April 26, despite speculation they may have been asked to resign en masse. Mbalula said he was impressed that they had shown commitment to the Nicholson report's recommendations and had taken steps, such as putting together the steering committee and launching a transformation fund for development, to implement Nicholson's recommendation

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Multiple coaches a possibility for New Zealand - White

 

New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White has said that the possibility of multiple coaches for the national team, for the game's different formats, is being looked into. This, he said, could be an option to help New Zealand get through a hectic international schedule more effectively.

"Whilst the team is touring and playing one form of the game, you must ensure other specialists are preparing [for other assignments] as well. South Africa do that, England do that and it is something we need to look at," White told the New Zealand Herald.

The demanding nature of the Future Tours Programme until 2020, he said, meant that the workload of support staff needed to be considered before making any decision. Apart from the tour of the West Indies, in the coming year New Zealand have tours of India, Sri Lanka and South Africa, the World Twenty20, back-to-back series with England, home and away, and then the Champions Trophy.

"It's tough enough for the players, but for the coaches and support staff it is tremendously challenging for them to be away from home, on the road that long, and to have just one role when you've got three distinct forms of the game."

Earlier this week, the current New Zealand coach, John Wright, confirmed that he will not be signing a new contract following the team's tour of the Caribbean. Wright cited differences with New Zealand's director of cricket, John Buchanan, as a factor that influenced his decision not to extend his contract

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