Billy Doctrove retires from international cricket

Billy Doctrove, a member of the ICC's Elite panel of umpires, has announced his retirement from international cricket. Doctrove, who served as an international umpire for 14 years, will not be seeking a renewal of his contract after it expires at the end of this month.

Doctrove was due to officiate in the ODI and Test series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan but had to withdraw and return home to Dominica due to a family bereavement. The second Test between New Zealand and South Africa in Hamilton in March this year was his last international assignment.

"After much consideration I have informed the selectors of my decision to retire," Doctrove said. "It has been an incredible 14 years for me as an international umpire and I have enjoyed every moment of it.

"It has been a dream journey and to supervise international matches which were played by many great players at iconic venues.

"I am also honoured and privileged to have been part of the transformation process in cricket with the introduction of technology which is now considered as an integral component of international cricket and the introduction of the revolutionary twenty20 format which has taken cricket to a completely new level."

Doctrove made his international umpiring debut in 1998, in an ODI between West Indies and England in St Vincent, and stood in his first Test two years later when West Indies took on Pakistan in Antigua. He went on to stand in 38 Tests, 112 ODIs and 17 T20 internationals, including the final of the ICC World Twenty20 between England and Australia in Barbados in 2010. He became part of the ICC's International Panel of Umpires in 2004 and was promoted to the Elite Panel in 2006.

"It was a highlight to umpire in the ICC World Twenty20 final in Barbados," he said. "That was a special and an unforgettable occasion. I am extremely thankful to my family and friends worldwide, for their support and encouragement that they afforded to me during my career.

"I would also like to thank the WICB and the ICC for the many opportunities they provided me to serve this wonderful game."

Doctrove umpired in the controversial Oval Test of 2006 between England and Pakistan. His on-field partner then was Darrell Hair, who was at the centre of the controversy. Accusations of ball-tampering prompted the Pakistan team to refuse to take the field after tea on the fourth day and England were declared victors - the result was changed to a draw in 2008 before being reversed again to an England win in 2009.

Doctrove was also Dominica's first FIFA referee and between 1995 and 1997 he officiated in a number of internationals in the Caribbean, including a World Cup qualifier between Guyana and Grenada in 1996. He quit football in 1997.

Vince van der Bijl, the ICC umpires and referees manager, said: "Billy has been an excellent servant of the game and we thank him on behalf of the entire cricket fraternity for his outstanding contribution as an international umpire for 14 years.

"To have remained as one of the game's top officials for that length of time has required Billy to be self-motivated, confident and well respected.

"Billy is a very special man, with strong values, firm beliefs yet with an underlying gentleness and humour, and a great family man - a wonderful blend."

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There's life after Pietersen - Gooch

Graham Gooch, England's batting coach, admitted that Kevin Pietersen's retirement from international limited-overs cricket has opened up a big hole at the top of the batting order, but insisted it is not so huge that it cannot be filled. Gooch, England's leading run-scorer in Test cricket, called Pietersen a "box-office player" but did not criticise the decision to step down from ODIs which has also led to the end of his international Twenty20 career.

"Kevin is a superb player for England in all forms of the game. He is a great entertainer," Gooch said. "He is a box-office player that excites the cricketing public not only in this country, but around the world. So before you ask me, is he going to be missed? Sure he is going to be missed. Any player who is capable of winning a match is going to be missed by a team. But he has to make his own decisions. He is the only one who would be able to give true insight into why he decided to retire from ODI cricket."

In a decision that caught everyone by surprise, Pietersen announced on May 31 that he was stepping away from ODI cricket (and, also, effectively Twenty20 as it is part of the ECB contract to be available for both formats) citing "the intensity of the international schedule and the increasing demands on my body," as one of the main reasons. Gooch did not want to be drawn into the issue of the schedules, which has become a talking point in the recent years with players deciding to give up one form of the game in order to extend their tenures in another version.

What Gooch, though, was certain about was England needed to move forward and there were good batsmen ready to fill in the vacancy left behind by Pietersen. "Life moves on, one door closes and another one opens. So you got to look at from the team point of view as an opportunity for someone else to make his mark, to represent his country, to win games for his country," he said. "I look it as an opportunity for another young player to grab that chance, to take that chance and achieve the highest honour of representing his country. I don't look back, I look forward."

Gooch, himself an opening batsman, was a supporter of Pietersen opening in the one-day game which began at last year's World Cup before resuming against Pakistan in the UAE where he struck back-to-back hundreds in, what ended up becoming, his final two ODIs. "I was always in favour of Kevin Pietersen opening the batting because I'm always in favour putting your best players in one-day and Twenty20 cricket top of the order; give them all the overs to make an impact," he said.

The England selectors will meet over the next few days to select the ODI squad to face West Indies and Gooch believes there are plenty of options on hand to replace Pietersen, picking out the likes of Craig Kieswetter, Jonny Bairstow and Jos Buttler. "The selectors will be meeting probably in the next day or so and formulating who they think is the best option upfront. We have got some exciting young players around: Kieswetter, Bairstow, Buttler are the guys who have been in and around the Lions and the one-day team. They are not new names, but are the guys I see taking England cricket forward over the next few years."

Kieswetter, who started his England career as an opener, was part of the last ODI series England played, in the UAE, but came in as a middle-order batsman after Pietersen's move to open. Buttler, a No.6 at Somerset, has played a solitary ODI (against Pakistan in UAE), but is known in the county arena for his innovative batting methods in Twenty20 cricket.

Bairstow, who has six ODI caps, made his Test debut against West Indies at Lord's but his fraught technique against the short delivery raised eyebrows about whether he was the right candidate to come in at No.6 in Tests. Gooch, one of the best players of fast bowling in the 1980s and 90s, said that it was too early to draw conclusions about Bairstow's technique.

"You don't judge a player on just a few good balls," he said. "I don't think there is any player that has ever played Test cricket hasn't punched one away in front of his face at some stage. Having been there myself, it is not a nice experience. You have to cope with that sort of bowling. I don't think you make judgements on just a short passage of play."

Gooch did not entirely agree with the theory that Bairstow had not faced the likes of Roach in county cricket but highlighted the pressurised surrounds of the international game as a key difference. "One thing that is not there in county cricket you don't get the tension you get in Test cricket, the feeling that you have to succeed because everyone is watching you and you are playing at the highest level. So the pressure is that much more at the highest level. That is something every top player, every top sportsman has to cope with: performing under pressure

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Rain washes out first day

England's ambitions to inflict a 3-0 whitewash upon West Indies were frustrated by the weather as rain washed out the first day of the third Test at Edgbaston. It was the first time a full day's play in a Test in England had been lost because of bad weather since the third day of the 2009 Ashes clash against Australia, also at Edgbaston.

Rain is forecast on Friday as well, raising the possibility that the opening two days of a Test in England could be abandoned without play for the first time for nearly 50 years, since an Ashes clash at Lord's in 1964.

The toss and team announcements have yet to take place, leaving Stuart Broad to face another uncertain evening as he waits to see if he will be rested alongside his new-ball partner, James Anderson.

If Broad plays, only one of Steven Finn and Graham Onions is certain of a fast-bowling spot. Finn's reputation as one of the world's most-promising young fast bowlers suggests that he is the likelier choice but Graham Onions has been in outstanding county form for Durham and his case could become more persuasive as rain takes chunks out of the game.

For West Indies, Sunil Narine is favoured to replace his fellow spinner Shane Shillingford, who England dealt with comfortably at Trent Bridge, and either Tino Best or Fidel Edwards will partner Ravi Rampaul. Kirk Edwards is expected to lose his top-order batting place after an unproductive tour.

Heavy overnight and early morning rain meant the square was fully covered when the captains should have been tossing up ahead of a scheduled 11am start. There was only a brief spell when the covers were removed before fresh rain arrived. At 3.35pm it was announced that play had been abandoned for the day

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Seamers set up comfortable win for Pakistan

It turned out to be a good toss to lose for Pakistan, as their seamers, led by Umar Gul, set up a comfortable six-wicket win by keeping Sri Lanka to a paltry 135. The ball nipped around, skidded, turned and bounced alarmingly and tested the technique and patience of the batsmen, with the cloudy conditions giving the bowlers an overwhelming advantage. Three rain interruptions in the first innings did little to help Sri Lanka's cause. They struggled to build momentum and sizeable partnerships, and following a lengthy rain interruption, the overs were culled to 42, leaving very few overs in the end to accelerate.

Pakistan too were tested by a probing opening spell by Sri Lanka's seamers, but they could afford to take their time and grind it out. Subcontinent pitches aren't known to produce too many low-scoring games, and based on the evidence so far in the three games on tour, watching the bowlers have a say has been compelling.

Runs off the bat were at a premium as Sri Lanka's top four failed to reach double-digits and their combined contribution was outscored by extras. It was a struggle, not just to pick the gaps but to put bat on ball. Sohail Tanvir's angle away from the right-hander kept Mahela Jayawardene playing and missing; Gul's bounce off a good length and incutters troubled Tillakaratne Dilshan, who looked like he hadn't yet shrugged off the Twenty20 hangover.

It was a battle of attrition at both ends. Sri Lanka had two of their most experienced accumulators at the crease - Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara - but the seamers found ways to avert a partnership. An indipper from Gul trapped Jayawardene lbw, before Dinesh Chandimal chopped one onto his stumps without using his feet.

The batsmen may have had their wallets nicked when they walked out to bat - they couldn't even buy a run. In the first ten overs, Pakistan didn't concede a run off the bat for 26 consecutive legal deliveries. In that period, the only source of runs was 13 wides. The first boundary off the bat - there were only six in all - came in the 12th over. Any semblance of a recovery was halted when Mohammad Sami nipped out two wickets in successive overs, leaving Sri Lanka five down at the 15th over.

Rain forced interruptions in the 18th over and again after the 24th. What followed after the second interruption were two of the most productive partnerships. Lahiru Thirimanne added 25 with Thisara Perera, and doubled that with Nuwan Kulasekara. It was still a battle for survival, and the frequent interruptions didn't help Sri Lanka's bid to find momentum to accelerate. Following the third rain interval, which stretched to an hour and a quarter, Sri Lanka had only five overs to bat out. Thirimanne slogged and swished at several deliveries and managed to fetch three boundaries, including one off the final ball. Subtracting the wides, Sri Lanka would have been defending a much lesser score.

Sri Lanka managed only six fours in their innings, hitting the first only in the 12th over. Pakistan hit their first four as early as the third ball, when Mohammad Hafeez punched Lasith Malinga past the covers. Malinga soon had Azhar Ali caught off a loose drive, and he continued to create half chances by shaping the ball away from the right-handers. Kulasekara posed questions by getting the ball to cut back in - his stock delivery - and one of those breached Younis Khan's defences, leaving Pakistan at 27 for 2.

The pressure created by that dismissal led to three consecutive maidens. Misbah-ul-Haq halted a run-drought that lasted 25 deliveries with a slash past point for four. While Hafeez gave Pakistan the edge with positive shots, including a lofted off-drive for six, what prevented Pakistan from imploding was Misbah's calm presence.

Pakistan were a batsman short, so it was imperative one senior player pitched a tent through the duration of the innings, which Misbah had all but achieved. It was a pressure-free scenario for Umar Akmal to play his strokes, as Pakistan coasted home to extend their recent domination over Sri Lanka, with their ninth win in 11 games.

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Kaneria cleared but Faysal Bank match probe continues

Danish Kaneria, the Pakistan legspinner, has been cleared by the panel appointed to investigate allegations of foul play in the Faysal Bank Super Eight T20 match between Karachi Zebras and Peshawar Panthers in Rawalpindi. The panel will continue its probe into the game, but Kaneria has been given a clean chit.

A two-member committee comprising Karachi City Cricket Association's secretary Ejaz Faruqi and senior cricket writer Qamar Ahmed said Kaneria was not involved in any sort of wrongdoing. Karachi's Kaneria faced investigation after his surprise move to withdraw from the bowling attack after four deliveries of his first over against Peshawar.

Kaneria had said he had suffered a side strain that forced him to stop bowling during the match. After its inquiry, the committee was satisfied with Kaneria's reason. "A medical certificate presented to the committee from a specialist also confirmed his explanation," the committee said in a statement.

Despite fielding a weakened XI, Peshawar reached the semi-finals by beating Karachi by 31 runs after making 158, their highest total of the tournament. 

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Sammy delight at Gayle's return

Darren Sammy did his best to conceal a big and wide smile but was not shy to admit how happy he would be to see Chris Gayle re-enter the West Indies dressing room soon. Gayle was part of the 15-man squad announced on Sunday by the Caribbean selectors for the three-match ODI series and the solitary Twenty20 to be played in England from June 16.

Gayle's inclusion brought to an end the bitter dispute between him and the WICB, which started immediately after last year's World Cup and kept him out of international cricket for 15 months. But both parties cleared the "residual" issues during a meeting in St Vincent, which was attended by Gayle, Julian Hunte (WICB president) along with West Indies Players' Association chief executive Michael Hall. Also present were Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of St Vincent, and Baldwin Spencer, the Antigua & Barbuda Premier, both facilitators instrumental in resolving the issue.

"I think we have a very exciting one-day team with the inclusion of Chris Gayle," Sammy said. "Our previous ODI and Twenty20 series against Australia was very good for us; we drew both series. So with guys like Chris and Dwayne Smith adding more power, I am very excited, but I have to focus on this Test. After this is over, we will focus on the ODI series." It is understood that Gayle along with the other players picked for the one-dayers, would join the West Indies squad in Birmingham on June 9.

In his first press conference on this tour, at Hove, Sammy mentioned that if and when Gayle comes back, he would need to get used to the "hardworking culture" put in place by Ottis Gibson, the West Indies coach. Today Sammy was more lenient, saying Gayle would easily slip into the team environment without much fuss. "He is a professional and will do what is necessary for the team," Sammy said.

Last month, Gayle decided to forsake his contract with the Somerset, as it clashed with the ODI series in order to commit himself to West Indies cricket. That was an important step which convinced the WICB that he was serious about his comeback. For all the positive speak that Sammy and his troops have so far uttered on this trip, the West Indies captain knows he needs able and experienced generals like Gayle and Chanderpaul on his side if West Indies have to finally start seizing opportunities.

"It is good to have him back," Sammy said. "We all know what he has done for us in the past, and hopefully, he can come into the squad and pass on the experience to the younger players because he has been a phenomenal limited-overs player for us. We expect to win this upcoming series because looking at this squad, we should pose a serious challenge to England and win games.

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Davies called up as Prior cover

Steven Davies, the Surrey wicketkeeper, has been drafted into the England squad for the third Test against West Indies after Matt Prior picked up an eye infection.

Davies, who was playing in the County Championship against Sussex at Horsham and will leave at the close of play, will be released on Thursday morning if Prior is passed fit. He has yet to play Test cricket but has been the reserve Test keeper of the last two years for series against Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

He has played eight one-day internationals and five Twenty20s with his most recent appearance coming against Australia in Perth last February during the one-day series where he found out he had been left out of the World Cup squad in favour of Prior.

Davies' call-up comes despite England having Jonny Bairstow, who keeps wicket for Yorkshire, in the side to face West Indies. Bairstow is the regular wicketkeeper for England Lions, but this decision suggests the management feel he is not ready for the role in a Test match or they do not want to burden him with another task while he is trying to forge a place as a batsman.

Prior has played 39 consecutive Tests, not missing a match since he flew home from the Caribbean during the 2009 tour for the birth of his child and skipping the Barbados Test. On that occasion Tim Ambrose, the Warwickshire wicketkeeper, took his place. 

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Sri Lanka hope to reverse UAE loss

The drawn Twenty20 series in Hambantota, in which there was little to separate the teams, has set up the five-ODI contest nicely. The pattern of both T20s was the same: the batsmen made just enough runs and the bowlers used the swing and seam available in the evenings to defend modest targets.

Sri Lanka will hope to improve the recent head-to-head record, having lost five of their last six ODIs to Pakistan. Four of those defeats were in the UAE in 2011, a tour in which Pakistan were superior across formats. Sri Lanka's batting had depended heavily on Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara and the rest were unable to build on their sound foundations. Sri Lanka found stability late into their tour of South Africa, where they won two dead rubbers, and made the finals of the CB Series in Australia, at India's expense.

A big reason for Sri Lanka's revival was contributions from players like Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne, who took the burden off the senior batsmen. The support cast grew in confidence and the allrounders provided good balance in foreign conditions. However, Sri Lanka ran out of steam during the third final of the CB series and arrived in Bangladesh for the Asia Cup looking jaded and lost all three games. Despite the heartening performance in Australia, Sri Lanka have a lot of catching up to do, having won only eight of their last 24 games. Their key players, who were part of the IPL, will also have to make the adjustment from Twenty20 cricket to the 50-over format.

Pakistan's recent form has been more impressive. After suffering a 4-0 loss against England in the UAE, they won the Asia Cup in a close final against Bangladesh. The ODI squad led by Misbah-ul-Haq is stronger than their experimental Twenty20 team as well, and it has been strengthened by Sohail Tanvir's retention. Tanvir impressed during his Twenty20 comeback and was chosen as a replacement once opening batsman Nasir Jamshed was injured. Pakistan are a batsman short, though, and could be stretched if Misbah and younis Khan fail. It will be up to the unpredictable Umar Akmal and Shahid Afridi to step up.

Form guide

(Most recent first)

Pakistan WLWWL
Sri Lanka LLLLW

Watch out for...

Umar Gul had a poor opening Twenty20 in Hambantota, conceding 43 in four overs. He allowed Sri Lanka the crucial 30-odd runs at the end, when they were struggling to post a decent score. Gul was dropped for the second Twenty20 but Pakistan are unlikely to bench him for too long.

Thisara Perera kickstarted Sri Lanka's turnaround in South Africa with an unbeaten 69 off 44 balls in Kimberley to help chase 300. Perera has since formed a healthy partnership with fellow allrounder Angelo Mathews, giving Sri Lanka a balanced team. Jayawardene rates him highly for his ability to clear the boundary, and Perera showcased his skills in the first match Hambantota, striking 32 off 16 balls

Team news

With Jamshed not in the squad, Pakistan have Imran Farhat to partner Mohammad Hafeez at the top. Azhar Ali is another option for opener; he scored 58, against England, in his only innings in that position. Pakistan will have to decide if they want to pack their team with specialist bowlers, or go with an extra batsman in the middle order.

Pakistan (likely) 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Imran Farhat/Azhar Ali, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt), 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Shahid Afridi, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Umar Gul, 9 Saeed Ajmal, 10 Sohail Tanvir/Mohammad Sami, 11 Aizaz Cheema

For Sri Lanka, Rangana Herath returns to the squad after a long rest but they may use him sparingly in the ODIs, given his heavy workload in the Tests. Jayawardene didn't rule out opening the innings with Dilshan.

Sri Lanka (likely) 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 4 Dinesh Chandimal, 5 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 6 Lahiru Thirimanne, 7 Angelo Mathews, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Rangana Herath/Sachitra Senanayake, 11 Lasith Malinga

Stats and trivia

• Pakistan are the only team to have an even ODI record against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka. They have played 28 matches, won 13 and lost 13.
  
• Pakistan have played two ODIs at Pallekele, losing their first and winning the next.
  
• Among current batsmen, Mahela Jayawardene has the most runs (1563) against Pakistan.
  

Quotes

"That kind of record builds your confidence a little bit but it's a new series and different conditions. You have to perform again from the start."
Misbah-ul-Haq on Pakistan's recent record against Sri Lanka

"Pakistan's record against us speaks for itself; they have played much better cricket than us during the Asia Cup and even in the UAE. It's up to us to lift our game individually as well as a group

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South Africa's home summer schedule with Pakistan and Newzealand

South Africa have replaced their traditional Boxing Day Test with a Twenty20 international for the 2012-13 home season, during which they will host New Zealand and Pakistan. The home summer will begin the week before Christmas, after South Africa's return from a Test series in Australia. New Zealand will play three Twenty20s, two Tests and three ODIs through January, after which Pakistan will tour for a full series in February and March.

South Africa's home summer schedule New Zealand in South Africa 2012-13: Dec 21-26 - three Twenty20s Jan 2-15 - two Tests Jan 19-25 - three ODIs Pakistan in South Africa 2012-13: Feb 1-26 - three Tests March 1-3 - two Twenty20s March 10-24 - five ODIs

Instead of a Test match starting on December 26, South Africa will play a Twenty20 against New Zealand in Port Elizabeth before reverting to tradition for the New Year's Test in Cape Town on January 2. "We considered three important factors when we made the decision and in the end we decided it would make more sense to do it this way in terms of this tour," Jacques Faul, CSA acting chief executive, told ESPNcricinfo. "We looked at the best interests of the national team, the fairness to the incoming team and the commercial aspect. I wouldn't say the decision was only a financial one. We still feel strongly about Test cricket but we decided that to do it this way would be best."

South Africa have hosted a Boxing Day Test every year since readmission in 1992, except on the five occasions they have been on tour in Australia. An agreement was subsequently reached with Australia to ensure South Africa does not play there over the Christmas period to ensure the national side is at home in peak season. Three times, the Boxing Day Test has been played in Port Elizabeth, when it was first held in 1992 and again in 1995 and 2007, and every other time Durban's Kingsmead Stadium has played host to the fixture.

Despite it being a match that is considered integral to the cricket season, South Africa's Boxing Day Test has had its problems. Crowds have declined steadily over the years, resulting in less advertising and an overall financial burden rather than gain. Durban, which is a popular holiday destination in South Africa, sees people choose to spend the day at the beach rather than the cricket and the fixture was moved to Port Elizabeth in 2007 in the hope of an improved attendance. St George's Park did not produce the desired crowds and resulted in a South African defeat to West Indies and the match was moved back to Durban in 2009. South Africa have also not won a Boxing Day Test at home since then.

At the end of last season, sources close to CSA mentioned that it would make better economic sense to host T20s over the holiday period. The theory has some substance as people had packed venues around the country for the domestic 20-over competition when it was it was held in January (still part of school holidays) when the national team were in Australia in early 2006 and 2009. However, the current fixtures, which see T20s played against New Zealand on December 21, 23 and 26 leaves out prime dates from the 27th to the 31st of December, during which New Zealand will play a tour match in Paarl.

ESPNcricinfo understands that South Africa's poor record in the Boxing Day match, when the team usually has their families accompanying them, also influenced the decision to do away with the match. Although the scrapping of the Boxing Day Test marks a massive break with convention, Faul stressed that this was not the end of the road for the traditional match. "We could definitely see a Boxing Day Test next season or in the future," he said.

As a result of the revised schedule, Durban has been left without a Test match for the entire season and will have to make do with two T20s - against New Zealand and Pakistan - and an ODI. Cape Town, which usually gets large crowds, will again host two Test matches, while Port Elizabeth gets its first Test since 2007. Johannesburg and Centurion have been given the remaining two Tests.

New Zealand's three T20s will be held in Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth and the three ODIs in Paarl, Kimberley and Potchefstroom. Pakistan's tour consists of three Tests and five ODIs at venues including Bloemfontein and Benoni. The addition of smaller venues to international schedule is in keeping with CSA's rotation policy and as a result of the attendance last season, when Sri Lanka's ODI series was played mainly at the lesser known grounds.

"East London and Paarl, who had been off the international roster for some time, attracted more than 25,000 spectators for the two ODIs that they hosted," Faul said. "These two provinces are very strong growth areas for the game, [and help] fulfil our mandate of making cricket a truly national sport."

South Africa toured New Zealand in February and March 2012, winning the three-Test series 1-0 and sweeping the ODIs 3-0. New Zealand registered their only win of the tour in the Twenty20s, but South Africa claimed that series as well, 2-1.

The previous bilateral series between Pakistan and South Africa was in 2010-11, in the UAE; the Tests were drawn 0-0, and South Africa won in both limited-overs formats

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Waqar interviewed to replace McDermott

Waqar Younis, the former captain and coach of Pakistan, has been interviewed for the position of Australian bowling coach, as Cricket Australia intensifies its search for the man to replace Craig McDermott.

Based in Sydney after he concluded a two-year stint as coach of Pakistan in 2011, Waqar is understood to have spoken to CA's team performance manager Pat Howard about taking on a role that was unexpectedly vacated by McDermott at the conclusion of the Australian tour of the West Indies.

Australia's search for a new bowling coach is taking place at a time when many of the best candidates are already tied to other national teams or unwilling to commit to the travel pressures of the job. David Saker, Allan Donald, Joe Dawes and Damien Wright are all employed at international level, while the likes of Andy Bichel and Damien Fleming have said they are unwilling to devote as much time to the job as required by CA.

Another possible candidate, Jason Gillespie, is in his first season as the coach of Yorkshire, while Ali de Winter, who ran McDermott close for the position in 2011, is thought to be enjoying his expanded role in Tasmania as assistant coach of the Tigers and head coach of the Hobart Hurricanes Twenty20 team.

As a part-time member of the selection panel, Bichel saw the improvement McDermott brought to the team, and has said his preference would be for a mentor with proven international pedigree. ''With so many young guys coming through the system, I think you need someone who has played international cricket and who can teach them the stuff in the middle more than the technical stuff, how to get people out,'' Bichel told the Age last month. ''That was one of the great bonuses with Craig.''

Waqar has been refreshed by 10 months off cricket's global caravan. He cited personal and health reasons - both for himself and his wife - when he exited the Pakistan coaching job, but has actively sought a return to coaching with Australia.

Were he to be employed as bowling coach, Waqar would bring valuable knowledge to the Australian dressing room, particularly pertaining to reverse swing, an art the team have struggled to make best use of down the years. Under McDermott, Australia's fast bowlers demonstrated an excellent command of the basics, bowling full, straight and moving the ball conventionally, while also showing tremendous discipline in unhelpful conditions in Sri Lanka and the West Indies.

They will now be looking to build on those gains, and Waqar's mastery of reverse swing, as demonstrated across a celebrated Test match career in which he claimed 373 wickets, would be a useful addition to the team's database of knowledge. His coaching history has included numerous short-term consultancy roles, including with the ECB academy on a tour to India, while he has worked with New South Wales since first moving with his family to Sydney in 2005.

Back then, Waqar had pointed out how much Australia needed a bowling coach, having watched Ricky Ponting's team struggle to match England's results in the 2005 Ashes series. He may now be in line to mentor a highly promising battery of young pacemen over a critical two-year stretch that cultimnates in back-to-back Ashes series in England and Australia in 2012-13.

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PCB chief meets politicians to discuss India series

Following PCB chief Zaka Ashraf's trip to India last week which led to increased optimism about resumption of cricketing ties between the two countries, he met with senior politicians in Pakistan to discuss the issue.

"They all supported our positive intention to build up a relationship and revive the cricketing ties with each other," Ashraf told a press conference in Islamabad. "What I feel is that we will be able to play each other this year in any available slot."

In India, Ashraf had met with BCCI officials and also outgoing Pakistan ambassador Shahid Malik, and political leaders like Sharad Pawar, who is also the ICC president, Arun Jaitley, a leading opposition party leader and senior BCCI functionary, and Rajiv Shukla, the IPL chairman who is seen as being close to the Congress party which heads the ruling coalition.

He returned to Pakistan on Saturday and was due to brief media on Monday afternoon in Lahore but cancelled it to make a quick trip to Islamabad, where he met with senior political figures in the government before speaking to the press at a local hotel. Ashraf is close to Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari, who is also PCB patron, and he also holds a key position in the Pakistan Peoples Party central executive committee.

India and Pakistan have not played each other in a bilateral series since December 2007. It is India's turn to tour Pakistan, but the country has not hosted an international series between two Full Members at home following the Lahore terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team bus in March 2009. Bilateral ties between India and Pakistan have been frozen since the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks. Pakistan, however, travelled to India to play in the semi-final of the 2011 World Cup.

Talks of a revival of Pakistan-India cricketing ties began when Ashraf requested Zardari to take up the issue with the Indian government. A meeting between the head of the states in Delhi in April provided more impetus to the talks with indications that the Indian government had no objections to the resumption of cricket between the two countries.

Ashraf, who had taken over from Ijaz Butt last October with Pakistan cricket facing a host of issues, called his India tour a successful one. "Reviving the relationship with India was the toughest task but the job is nearly done," he said. A final decision on a series between the two teams is likely to be taken in Kuala Lumpur, where the ICC's board of directors meets later this month.

He however ruled out the perception that only Pakistan was insisting on a bilateral series while India had little interest in it. "They want to play with us - that is the point we both agreed and have been discussing on the sidelines of ICC meetings in last many months.

"It's not like we are begging to play and depending on them. It's about the relationship that is eventually linked up with playing each other. The relationship with India is very important at the top level. Other than that there are minor issues like exchange of junior level teams, women's cricket team and participation in the IPL which will all be sorted out."

Malik, the outgoing ambassador in India, also called for a series between India and Pakistan. "I hope that the cricket bilateral series between India and Pakistan resume soon," Malik told reporters in Delhi. "There is a desire on the part of the leadership of both countries that this start

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Gayle finally recalled for West Indies

Chris Gayle's 15-month international exile is over after he was formally recalled to the West Indies ODI squad for the forthcoming series against England, starting in Southampton on June 16.

In keeping with the fractious and drawn out nature of the dispute that kept Gayle out of the team, his recall was confirmed after a meeting of more political than selection nature in St Vincent. Gayle and his agent Michael Hall spoke with an array of political and cricket figures including the island's prime minister Ralph Gonsalves, Antigua and Barbuda prime minister Baldwin Spencer, WICB president Julian Hunte, WICB director Elson Crick and the WICB's legal officer Alanna Medford.

The meeting, devised to smooth over any "residual matters" between Gayle and the WICB, was followed by the announcement of the squad for the limited-overs segment of the England tour, with Gayle returning to the ranks for the first time since the 2011 World Cup.

West Indies ODI squad Chris Gayle, Johnson Charles, Lendl Simmons, Darren Bravo, Kieron Pollard, Marlon Samuels, Dwayne Bravo, Denesh Ramdin (wk), Darren Sammy (capt), Dwayne Smith, Andre Russell, Tino Best, Fidel Edwards, Ravi Rampaul, Sunil Narine

"Directors of the West Indies Cricket Board recently met by teleconference and are pleased that consistent with his previous commitment Mr Chris Gayle has made himself available for selection to the West Indies team," a WICB statement had said of the meeting. "The board believes that Mr Gayle's stated commitment to West Indies cricket will be an asset to the team and looks forward to his contributions in that regard."

Gayle's recall was first mooted during West Indies' earlier home series against Australia, when he met with WICB officials to repair a relationship that had deteriorated around the emergence of Twenty20 and the rise of the Indian Premier League. It then dissolved entirely when the former captain criticised the coach Ottis Gibson and the WICB during a radio interview last year.

In England the mood for Gayle's return has gathered strength, pushed along by the words of Kevin Pietersen, who said it would be "brilliant for the game" if he was recalled, while the former West Indies fast bowler and widely respected commentator Michael Holding effectively challenged the WICB to stop delaying Gayle's rehabilitation as an international player.

Lendl Simmons is the other notable recall to the ODI team after he missed the home matches against Australia. Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell also return to the team for limited-overs matches after completing their IPL duties.

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Bangladesh to play T20s in Netherlands

Bangladesh will get more matches to fine-tune their World Twenty20 preparations after it was announced that they will play two Twenty20s in Netherlands next month. One match will be against the home side, and the other against Scotland during a five-day stay in Netherlands following their tour of Ireland. The matches will be played at Voorburg Cricket Club near The Hague, on 24 and 25 July.

There has been no international cricket in Netherlands since a couple of ODIs against Kenya last September, and no Test-playing nation has played there since Sri Lanka visited in 2006. "We are delighted to have secured the opportunity to host a Full Member country on home soil as it has been some time since this last happened," Cricket Netherlands CEO Richard Cox said.

Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim also welcomed the extra matches. "The Twenty20 game is a great leveller and our matches against Netherlands and Scotland should be very interesting," he said. "Netherlands have beaten England in a World Twenty20 game and Scotland have some fine players."

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Tanvir retained for Sri Lanka ODIs

Pakistan fast bowler Sohail Tanvir has been retained for the ODIs in Sri Lanka and will replace the injured opening batsman Nasir Jamshed in the squad. Tanvir impressed in the two Twenty20s in Hambantota, bowling economically and taking four wickets. He also picked up the Man-of-the-Series award.

On the request of team management, chief selector Iqbal Qasim in consultation with the National Selection Committee has recommended the inclusion of Tanvir in the ODI Squad for the series. The chairman of the PCB has approved the replacement.

"In view of the request from the team management and keeping in consideration the current form of Sohail Tanvir, the selection committee has decided that he may be retained for the ODIs in Sri Lanka." Qasim said.

Jamshed, who was originally named in the ODI and T20 squads, was ruled out before the team left for Sri Lanka due to a fractured left index finger. The PCB hadn't named a replacement back then.

Tanvir, who was named only in the Twenty20 squad for the current tour, last represented Pakistan in ODIs during the tour of Bangladesh in December 2011 where he played two matches but failed to pick up a wicket. He will miss at least the first two matches of this season's Friends Life t20 after signing up with English county Worcestershire.

The five-match ODI series starts on June 7 in Pallekele

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Narine absent but set for Test bow

Sometimes a person's absence is more notable than their attendance. So, just as Kate Middleton might have provoked even more column inches had she not shown up to her wedding, so Sunil Narine's absence from the first day of the tour match at Grace Road was arguably more surprising than anything he might have achieved on the pitch.

Narine, the 24-year-old spinner, was called up on Wednesday to replace the injured Kemar Roach in West Indies' squad for the third Test at Edgbaston which begins on Thursday. But Narine, it turns out, has not even arrived in the UK yet. Instead he spent Friday playing club cricket in Trinidad - T20 club cricket at that - and is expected to arrive in England on Sunday. He will not, therefore, have the benefit of any match practice or even an extended period of acclimatisation before the Test. Ottis Gibson, West Indies' coach, admitted that he did not know if Narine had ever played in England.

But it appears that will not prevent Gibson selecting him on Thursday. Nor will the fact that Narine has only played six first-class games, or that the last of them was in February. Indeed, Gibson expressed the belief that Narine's lack of exposure was a significant bonus for West Indies.

"He's just come back from playing a hell of a lot of cricket, so I'm sure he's been bowling a lot," Gibson said. "I think it's his first time playing international cricket in England and there's a disadvantage playing for the first time in these conditions but it's an advantage because the opposition haven't seen him yet.

"If he were to play this two-day game then there would be some footage of him for them to go and have a look at. He isn't playing and it means that if he plays [at Edgbaston] it will be something completely new to them so that could be a bit of an advantage for us.

"It is an interesting replacement. He's somebody we've identified from the shorter version of the game but the selectors also believe he can play the longer version and this is an opportunity to put that to the test."

The one major flaw in Gibson's argument is that Narine has just finished playing in the IPL; the most high-profile domestic tournament in world cricket. Still, the spinner's record is exceptional: his last three first-class games have brought 31 wickets at an average of 9.61, while he could also claim with some justification - he was the second-highest wicket-taker and had the second-best economy-rate - to have been the best bowler at this year's IPL. Bearing in mind England's recent struggles against high-quality 'mystery' spin and there is the possibility that Narine may prove something of a game-changer. It is, however, asking a great deal of a young man with so little experience to adapt to new conditions and a different format so quickly.

Narine is also unlikely to solve West Indies' problems with their top-order batting. There were, however, some welcome signs of improvement on the weather-shortened first day of the game against Leicestershire. With Adrian Barath and Darren Bravo both recording half-centuries and adding 111 for the third-wicket, two of West Indies' top four will arrive at Edgbaston with renewed confidence and the benefit of having spent time in the middle.

Both played very well. Barath, who has shown glimpses of his ability in the Test series, again left the ball well and demonstrated his pleasing cover drive without the moments of lost concentration that have dogged him of late. Bravo, having survived some loose shots early on, calmed down to play some delightful strokes including a six over long-on off rookie left-arm spinner, James Sykes.

It was a less happy day for Kirk Edwards, despite being promoted to lead the side, and Kieran Powell. Powell - who has scored 47 in four Test innings on this tour - was drawn into an edge as he pushed at one he might have left before Edwards, with the footwork of a statue, was bamboozled by swing. Both wickets were claimed by Nadeem Malik who, aged 29 and nine years into his first-class career, will be out of contract at the end of the season.

Edwards' failure means he has scored just 20 runs in eight innings on this tour. While he can take comfort of sorts from the fact that this game against Leicestershire does not have first-class status, he will also know that his travails over the last month have left his international future in jeopardy. When he arrived in the UK he had a Test average in excess of 50, two Test centuries to his name and he had recently been elevated to the vice-captaincy.

With English conditions - and English bowlers - exposing some obvious technical flaws, however, Edwards currently looks bereft of form and confidence. His third-ball duck here begged the question as to whether he was enduing the most miserable tour of England in history by a specialist batsman. The Maharaja of Porbandar - who scored only two first-class runs on the All-India side's 1932 tour of England - has strong claims to that title but, as he was selected more due to his wealth and perceived social standing than any ability with the bat, it is probably unfair to consider him a specialist batsman. It may be relevant that West Indies also used this game as an opportunity for Assad Fudadin and Narsingh Deonarine to apply pressure on their under-performing top order.

This Leicestershire attack is perfectly respectable. Robbie Joseph generated pace even on a sluggish surface, Malik bowled some dangerous deliveries and Sykes, while raw, could go a long way in the game. Suffice it to say, however, that whoever England select at Edgbaston will provide a substantially sterner tes

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Anderson rested for third Test

England have omitted James Anderson from their squad for the third Test against West Indies, which starts on Thursday. Anderson suffered a minor quad problem during England's nine-wicket victory at Trent Bridge and, with the series already won, the selectors have decided to rest the bowling attack's leader in order to keep him fresh for the rest of the summer. Anderson's new-ball partner, Stuart Broad, has been included in an otherwise unchanged 12-man squad.

Broad could also be told to put his feet up, with Steven Finn and Graham Onions available to step in as seam-bowling cover. Broad, who is England's T20I captain, missed the second Test against Sri Lanka in April, as well as a planned stint in the IPL, with a calf injury and a decision on his involvement is expected nearer the start of the Edgbaston Test. Both Anderson and Broad have bowled more than 100 overs in the series so far.

Geoff Miller, the national selector, said: "We have been made to work hard for our two victories so far and are delighted to have secured the series, however we know that we will need to continue to play some good cricket if we want a third win against the West Indies this week.

"James Anderson will miss this Test as we look to manage his workload ahead of a busy period of cricket this summer and beyond, a decision which is in the best interests of the team and James himself."

England are due to play West Indies in three ODIs and a T20 international after the Tests, followed by a five-match ODI series against Australia, starting at the end of June. That will be followed by three Tests against South Africa, which will decide the No. 1 Test ranking, then five more one-day internationals and a three-match T20I series finishing on September 12. Nine days later, England will begin their defence of the World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.

Although Anderson has not played for England's T20 team since 2009, he has previously expressed a desireto break back into the side. His value in Tests, where he is ranked No. 3 in the world, is undisputed, however, and writing in his Mail on Sunday column he said it would be "extremely disappointing" to miss out against West Indies.

"It would be different if I felt fatigued or was struggling with an injury," he said. "But I believe I am fit to play - and while I am fit to play I want to play in every England game I can. Resting players is going to happen more and more often as the schedule gets busier and the ECB has been excellent at monitoring players to keep them fit and ready."

England are 2-0 up in the three-Test series against West Indies and had been widely expected to rest at least one member of the pace attack. Finn stood in for Broad in Sri Lanka in April, taking three wickets as England squared the series, and also replaced Anderson against the same opposition at Lord's last year. A side strain ruled Anderson out of that match - the only Test he has missed since being rested for the 2010 tour of Bangladesh.

Finn became the youngest Englishman to take 50 Test wickets in the same Test but was unable to retain his place and then slipped behind Tim Bresnan in a lengthy fast-bowling queue when injuries struck down Chris Tremlett. Finn has, however, become a key component of the one-day side and was the leading wicket-taker as England whitewashed Pakistan 4-0 in the UAE.

Onions, who last played international cricket more than two years ago before suffering a career-threatening back injury, is also included and, if England decide to rest Broad as well, may get to resume a Test career that left off with two memorable rearguard batting actions during the drawn series in South Africa in 2010. Onions claimed career-best first-class figures on Saturday, with an 11-wicket haul in Durham's defeat by Lancashire, and only Andre Adams has more than his 34 Championship scalps so far this season.

The continuity in England's selection policy means Jonny Bairstow is likely to get another chance to further his claims on the No. 6 spot, unless Andy Flower and Andrew Strauss decide to change the balance of the side and play five bowlers. Bairstow scored 16 and 0 not out on his debut at Lord's, before being worked over by a series of short deliveries from Kemar Roach in making 4 during the second Test, but England will almost certainly want to have a further look at him before the arrival of South Africa next month.

England squad Andrew Strauss (capt), Alastair Cook, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Jonny Bairstow, Matt Prior (wk), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, Steven Finn, Graham Onions

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All-round Shahid Afridi helps square series

Shahid Afridi rescued a limp Pakistan innings from despair and built his team a middling total with an aggressive half-century that was pragmatically constructed. He then proceeded to tenaciously defend his hard work, and by the time he was through with his spell, Sri Lanka had severely depleted resources to complete an arduous task. The upshot was that Pakistan left Hambantota with the series level at 1-1, and Afridi with his seventh Player-of-the-Match award,a Twenty20 record.

The second T20 played out in a manner remarkably similar to the first, two days ago, only with roles reversed. On Friday, Sri Lanka had chosen to bat and then collapsed, before a hard-hitting cameo lifted them. Today, it was Pakistan. On Friday, in pursuit of a modest total, Pakistan had been dismissed for less than 100. Today, it was Sri Lanka.

Pakistan's innings was a non-starter until half of it was over, with the Sri Lankan bowlers providing meagre opportunities to score while running through the top order. Nuwan Kulasekara bowled sharp inswingers and struck the first blow; Isuru Udana, playing for his country after nearly three years, started with a maiden; and the legspinner Kaushal Lokuarachchi had success in his first two overs. Sri Lanka, who had rested Mahela Jayawardene and Lasith Malinga, had Pakistan for the taking at 41 for 4 after 10.1 overs.

Afridi and Malik started the recovery by rotating strike frequently. When Afridi showed intent by driving the offspinner Sachithra Senanayake to the cover boundary twice, Malik began to play second fiddle, but that did not stop him from taking three consecutive fours off Lokuarachchi in the 15th over. Malik stepped out of his crease to loft the first ball to long-on and drive the second through extra cover. Predicting the bowler would flatten his trajectory, Malik stayed back, and pulled the short ball through midwicket.

Their partnership of 68 had a lot of urgent running between the wickets before Afridi began to shift through his gears. He whipped Thisara Perera to the cow-corner boundary, a stroke that had a resemblance to MS Dhoni's helicopter, and lofted inside out through cover. Afridi was dropped on 42 but Malik was not the very next ball. Afridi ended the 19th over with the innings' first six, a blow back over the bowler's - Perera - head. He had begun the over by hitting the ball straight as well, only that went for four. He got to his 50 off 30 balls and dragged Pakistan to 122.

Sri Lanka had reached 19 for 0 before Kumar Sangakkara slapped Yasir Arafat, who was playing his first international in two years, to cover point. Kulasekara walked in at No. 3, to the surprise and amusement of Tillakaratne Dilshan waiting in the middle, presumably to pinch-hit. He wasn't as good against the new ball as he was with it. All Kulasekara did was play three dots before giving Arafat a second wicket in the fourth over, which cost Pakistan only one run. The third over, from the nippy Sohail Tanvir, had cost only one as well.

Afridi made his entrance in the eighth over, with Sri Lanka 38 for 2, and what an entrance it was. He had two confident lbw appeals against Chamara Kapugedera and another thunderous shout against Dilshan turned down in his first four balls. All those deliveries were quicker ones going on with the arm. Dilshan tried to cut the fifth. He missed, and Afridi did not need the umpire this time.

He and Saeed Ajmal began to squeeze the batsmen; only 25 runs came in the five overs they bowled in tandem. In the last of those overs, the 12th, Kapugedera clubbed Afridi for six over long-on, relieving pressure for Sri Lanka. The next ball was a slider that slid between bat and pad and bowled him. Lahiru Thirimanne once again eased the pressure by taking 10 runs off Mohammad Hafeez's only over. Afridi heaped it back on by conceding only one run in his last over.

Sri Lanka now needed 48 off 36 balls and Afridi could do no more. Tanvir, however, all but shut them out of the game with another miserly over in which he dismissed Dinesh Chandimal. The asking rate was approaching 10 an over and the lower-order batsmen found Mohammad Sami's pace too quick to score off. Three perished while trying.

The game ended when Angelo Mathews, the youngest Sri Lankan captain since Arjuna Ranatunga, mis-hit the ball towards long-off in the final over. The fielder ran in from the boundary and tumbled forward to catch the ball and dismiss the hosts for 99. It was Afridi.

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New Zealand players could miss first Test in England

New Zealand are headed towards fielding a second-string side in their first Test against England next year after their board couldn't convince the ECB to schedule the series at a time not coinciding with the IPL. It's a predicament not one of the parties could have helped. The New Zealand players earn more in one week of IPL than they do from their annual NZC contracts, which is why they are entitled to five weeks of IPL, which pays NZC 10% of the players' salary, effectively to make them available. However, NZC is also bound by the ICC Future Tours Programme (FTP), and ECB by its own commercial understanding with its partners.

Rough calculations, says NZC Players' Association chief Heath Mills, suggest New Zealand's IPL players will make it to England only on the eve of the first Test if they play their five weeks' allocation of IPL. Of the eight New Zealanders in the IPL, four are Test starters, and Nathan McCullum and James Franklin are not too far. Jesse Ryder has avoided a contract this year, and Scott Styris has retired. New Zealand fans are not quite holding their breath over the choice the players will make: the last time the players chose country over club, back in 2009, they made no guarantees of a similar decision in the future. Mills says he will be surprised if "most of the players didn't play the IPL".

That standoff back then led to the introduction of the five-weeks clause in future contracts, but NZC didn't guarantee them a clear window for the IPL every year, especially during years the team was due to tour England. "Our understanding was that the guys can take five weeks leave, and that NZC will endeavour to make sure there was no international cricket during that period," Mills said. "However, they did note that it may not be as easy to ensure our players could play the whole IPL when we toured England.

"They made a commitment to us that they will work with the ECB to try and get the dates of our English tour after the IPL if possible. Clearly those discussions haven't reached an outcome that New Zealand players or the players here were hoping. England don't want to move any cricket around the IPL. That's their right, and their choice. So we need to live with that."

"Living with that" will mean further devaluation of international cricket: New Zealand will be weak, England will not be tested properly, and the biggest losers perhaps will be the English public going to the Tests.

"As I do my maths at the moment, if the IPL starts on the 7th of April, as it typically does, then our guys will obviously have five weeks of the IPL, and they will then arrive on the eve of the first Test, which is scheduled for the 16th of May. Which means we will need to work this through with the NZC and the players concerned," Mills said. "If NZC feel that's not enough preparation, they may look to take other players to play that first Test match and have the IPL guys play the second Test. It's certainly unfortunate and far from ideal."

The biggest concern with the way things stand right now is that they affect smaller teams - the likes of New Zealand and West Indies - the most. The big four - India, Australia, England and South Africa - who actually dominate the decision making feel no tangible pinch from the clash between IPL and international cricket. Not least because they can afford to pay their cricketers enough to keep them away from outside lure.

"Our senior players are earning over a million dollars playing in the IPL," Mills said. "Effectively it comes to 200,000 dollars a week. So each week they are not at the IPL, they lose more than the initial contracts here in New Zealand, which I think other people don't realise. New Zealand players earn a couple of hundred thousand dollars a year whereas players from England, Australia and the bigger countries earn a couple of million dollars a year with the initial contract."

Mills said the cricket administrators needed to do more than just saying that Test cricket is the prime format. "I think from a holistic point of view this is not the answer for international cricket," he said. "Clearly if you haven't got your best players playing for your country, we can no longer say international cricket is the best playing the best. Because it isn't. The day the international cricket is not about best players against best players, we have a problem, and we need to discuss it. We need to find a better outcome."

An official window for IPL could be one solution, Mills said. But when suggested there might be no end to tournaments' asking for a window if a precedent is set, Mills said the IPL had a much bigger impact than even the Champions League Twenty20, which is owned by just India, Australia and South Africa and doesn't equate to the world game.

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