Sri Lanka’s official representation at the ongoing ICC Executive meeting inDelhi has descended into confusion as their Minister of Sports optedto send a ministry representative to the meeting in place of ThilangaSumathipala, Sri Lanka Cricket’s international envoy.Jeevan Kumaratunga, the sports minister, sent Damian Fernando to India onThursday morning. “We have informed the responsible international cricketauthorities through the proper channels that Damian Fernando would berepresenting Sri Lanka,” Kumaratunga told .Sumathipala, who is standing for a fifth term as board president later thismonth, also departed for Delhi to participate in the meeting according tocricket officials. However, the same newspaper’s sources claimed he had notjoined the official discussions on the opening day of talks.An ICC press release confirmed the unusual goings-on. “At the start of the meeting Mr Thilanga Sumathipala represented Sri Lanka Cricket,” read the statement. “At the lunch break of the meeting on the first day, the ICC received correspondence from Sri Lanka Cricket indicating that Mr Sumathipala was, in fact, no longer the representative of the Board. Mr Damian Fernando joined the meeting at the beginning of the second day of the meeting as an observer representing Sri Lanka Cricket.”The key issues that were raised during the two-day summit meeting included the disbandment of Project USA, a reduced status for Kenyan cricket, the awarding of full international status to this autumn’s Super Series, and various governance reforms, including one topic of particular interest for the ambitious Sumathipala: the decision to suspend the automatic rotation of the ICC presidency and award Ehsan Mani an extra year in charge.

Fifty years of Test cricket at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka came to an end yesterday, as the ground was formally handed over for exclusive use by Bangladesh’s national footballers.On an emotional day for the nations’ cricket fans, the football federation made their mark on the stadium by digging up the wicket, while outside the ground, several supporters staged a token hunger strike, in protest at the government’s decision to shift the sport’s headquarters to the purpose-built Sher-e-Bangla stadium in nearby Mirpur.According to some reports, the former national captain, Khaled Mahmud, was among those to join the protest, although he later denied this, telling The Daily Star that he had simply turned up for a final practice session. Mahmud, 33, made his international debut at the ground in 1997-98, a venue which has hosted 17 Tests and 58 matches since January 1955, at which point the country was still a part of Pakistan.Though Mahmud claimed not to have been caught up in the emotion of the moment, another former Bangladesh captain, Raquibul Hasan, was sad to see the end of half a century of tradition. “As a cricketer it was painful to see the pitches at the Bangabandhu National Stadium being dug up in front of my own eyes,” said Raquibul, who took on a touring Commonwealth XI at the ground in March 1971, to become the only Bengali to have played for Pakistan.The lack of ceremony surrounding the digging-up of the pitch was upsetting for some, although the Bangladesh Football Federation claimed that it had been done at the request of the cricket board. “We wanted to take some more time but [they] had asked for the soil of the pitches so that it could be used at Mirpur,” said the deputy secretary, Monjur Hossain Malu. “That’s why we are uprooting it to avoid further damage.”

Sri Lanka have delayed appointing a new coach because the candidates they have short-listed are also in the running for the Indian coaching job. Greg Chappell and Tom Moody appear to be the front-runners for the Indian job, although they have had talks with Sri Lanka Cricket as well. “We are trying to finalise the coach soon, but it will not be before the Indians finish their interviews this week,” Jayantha Dharmadasa, chairman of the committee running Sri Lanka Cricket currently told AFP.The Board of Control for Cricket in India is conducting its interviews on May 19, and is expected to finalise on a coach soon after. “We have to realise that the Indian board is the richest in the world and coaching the Indian team is a prestigious job,” said Dharmadasa. “Since the Indian board kept things on a hold, our candidates wanted some time as well”Sri Lanka were to announce their choice of coach on May 13, but have been forced to put the date back. Also in the running for the Sri Lankan job is Dean Jones. Sri Lanka are also viewing the candidature of Roy Dias and Rumesh Ratnayake for the job.

Allegations that Andrew Flintoff is a chucker were brusquely dismissed by Michael Vaughan after England’s seven-session defeat of Bangladesh at Chester-le-Street.The claim was made by Peter Roebuck in Saturday’s Sydney Morning Herald. In his article, which was syndicated throughout Australia, he wrote that Flintoff’s final spell in the first Test at Lord’s “contained some of the most blatant transgressions of the law covering legitimate actions seen in respectable company this year”. He continued: “Flintoff’s action seems to deteriorate when he searches for an extra yard of pace and especially when he moves around the wicket and starts to pound the middle of the pitch. Then his naturally open-chested style betrays him.”Roebuck, the former Somerset captain who now lives much of the year in Australia, appears to have little time for England, and unsurprisingly, his latest outburst found few supporters.Vaughan brushed aside a post-match question on the matter. “Peter hasn’t been in the country,” he said. “He’s watching it on TV. I have no worries at all about Freddie’s action.” Dav Whatmore, Bangladesh’s coach, added that he had “no complaints”.Flintoff was analysed by ICC officials during last September’s Champions Trophy in England – he was one of a number of bowlers who were scrutinised – and his action was found to be well within the 15 degree limit.It was rumoured that two umpires during last summer’s series against West Indies were interested enough to look at television replays at the end of a day’s play but that, after reviewing his action, they decided that there was nothing untoward.Roebuck went to some lengths to deny that his remarks resulted from an anti-English bitterness. “Craven nationalists reacted with fury the last time this column drew attention to Flintoff’s action. A regrettable tendency has arisen in some quarters to play the man and not the ball. Not that every delivery was condemned, or every spell. What is the old saying? There are none so blind as those that will not see?”Flintoff’s action is not the real issue,” he concluded. “England’s lack of rigour is the problem. Long regarded as the guardian of the game, it contributed little to the investigation of corruption (even in county cricket).”

Nasser Hussain, the former England captain, has suggested that Brett Lee’s return to the Test squad for the Ashes would add fire to an ageing bowling line-up. Lee, who hasn’t played a Test since January 2004 , returned after a shoulder injury in the NatWest Series.”I think that Brett Lee would add something to any side, to be honest,” Hussain was quoted as saying in the Sydney Morning Herald. “Looking from a distance, even before this last week happened and the bowlers looked to have lost a yard of pace, as an Englishman I was quite pleased to see Brett wasn’t part of the Test side in New Zealand.”Hussain further compared Australia’s performance in the current series, where the bowlers have struggled to make an impact, to a similar beginning in the 1997 Ashes series. “If I were Australia I wouldn’t be panicking too much because the same thing happened in 1997,” Hussain explained. “In ’97, Glenn was struggling with his rhythm, Gillespie was injured; it just takes something to click and it clicked for Glenn at Lord’s and he turned everything around. You can do that at 27 – whether you can do it at 35 I’m not so sure.”Australia got off to a worst possible start to their Ashes campaign losing four successive matches. However, they registered their first win in the NatWest series with a 57 runs win over England.”At the moment, what they are missing is what Australia has had for so many years – a bowling attack that everyone has been in envy of. From looking at them so far, it could be they’re struggling to find rhythm, they could be a bit undercooked or they could be feeling their age. You can rectify the first two, but I don’t think you can fight age.”Speaking about their batting, Hussain added, “Australia’s batting is fine. The only question is, and I’m sure the selectors are looking at it … They’ve been expert at retiring off batsmen when they are still playing well and getting new guys in, but have they done the same with their bowlers? Are they all going to come to a shuddering halt?”

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England completed a highly satisfying warm-up match – one that had seemed anunlikely starter after the torrential rains that greeted their arrival – asGareth Batty and Ashley Giles picked up six wickets between them in theirfirst outing of the tour. They couldn’t quite polish off an obdurate tail,as the BCB President’s XI reached the close on 143 for 9, but for Englandthe result mattered less than the practice.For the young Bangladeshi side, however – eight of whom are members of theU19 squad that will play in the World Cup here next March – survival was animpressive accomplishment, albeit aided by the weather on the first day. Ithad not seemed likely when seven wickets fell in rapid succession after tea,but Nadif Chowdhury and Gazi Alamgir gritted their teeth to carry the matchinto the final over of the day. A late twist seemed on the cards when SteveHarmison yorked Chowdhury for 26 with two balls remaining, but Enamul Haqueheld fast to deny England victory.Such resistance was unexpected after the Bangladeshi efforts in the firstinnings. They had teetered to 46 for 6 overnight, and England required justsix overs to wrap up proceedings for a paltry 57. Matthew Hoggard once againdisplayed the sort of form that he had consistently shown in Pakistan andSri Lanka three winters ago. He added three more wickets to his overnighthaul, to finish with 6 for 13 from 9.3 overs.In theory, the President’s XI had avoided the follow-on by four runs, butthere would never have been any intention of enforcing it, especially afterEngland had lost four wickets for no runs on the second afternoon. Insteadit was left to two of those victims, Graham Thorpe and Rikki Clarke, to getsome much-needed time in the middle. Thorpe was in supreme touch for his 47,but Clarke – whose place remains under threat from Paul Collingwood – wasless able to settle. He found the spinners particularly tricky to handle,and when he was finally bowled by Enamul for 19, England declared on 69 for1, and lunch was taken.Martin Saggers made England’s first breakthrough in the tenth over of theresumption, when Chris Read pulled off a fine one-handed catch in front offirst slip to remove Nadif Iqbal for 20 (36 for 1). But Aftab Ahmed, verymuch a candidate for next week’s first Test, lead the resistance with asparkling 45 that included four fours and a mighty pulled six off Clarke.But Clarke had his revenge in his very next over, when Aftab was trappedlbw, and the innings frittered away. Hannan Sarkar’s patient 16 soon came toan end as Giles won his first lbw appeal of the day, and Batty entered theattack from the opposite end to provide the final touch to England’spreparations.The spinners wheeled away, with great accuracy but no spectacular turn, andseven wickets tumbled for 37 as the inexperience of the Bangladeshisthreatened to be their undoing. But Chowdhury and Alamgir rallied the tailto ensure that first blood in this tour has yet to be drawn.

The Australia captain Ricky Ponting has been ruled out of the first two Tests against India after an examination of his broken left thumb in Sydney. Ponting, who suffered the injury in the Champions Trophy semi-final loss to England, said the outcome was not unexpected and hoped to line up for the third Test at Nagpur on October 26.”Missing one Test is disappointing enough so I’m obviously shattered that I won’t be part of the series until at least the half-way mark,” he said. “Because of the delicate nature of the injury, there’s not a lot I can do until the bone is fully repaired. I’ll be watching closely from home and wish all the boys the best of luck for the first two matches and I look forward to rejoining the squad ahead of the third Test.”Dr Trefor James, Cricket Australia’s medical officer, said that Ponting’s thumb was repairing well but he would visit a specialist again on October 14.”With the injury progressing at its current rate, we expect he’ll be available for the third Test in Nagpur,” he said. For an Indian team in the doldrums, and missing Sachin Tendulkar, the absence of Ponting will be some respite.

The Indian captain for the month-long tour of Zimbabwe, which will comprise two Tests and a one-day triangular tournament, is expected to be chosen on August 12, a day before the selection ofthe team for the tour.With Sourav Ganguly back in the fray, after serving out his four-match ban, the selectors will need to take a call on Rahul Dravid’s immediate future as the captain of the Indian side. Dravid’s attacking captaincy in the ongoing Indian Oil Cup has come in for praise but it remains to be seen if he is persisted with as a long-term option. Ganguly showed signs of returning to form in India’s second game against Sri Lanka at Dambulla, where he made a steady half-century, and that could have a bearing on the selectors’ decision as well.The team will be announced in Mumbai after a meeting of the selection committee and the newly-selected captain, SK Nair, the secretary of the Indian board told PTI. Greg Chappell, the coach, will also attend the meeting on August 13.The triangular series involving Zimbabwe and New Zealand is scheduled to begin on August 24. India will kick off their campaign with a game against New Zealand on August 26.

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Namibia’s triumphant run of success in Zimbabwe came to a sudden end as they went down to an eight-wicket defeat at the hands of Manicaland in the Faithwear Series at the Country Club. Three superb individual performances brought Manicaland a well-earned victory, although they were assisted by the significant absence of Jan-Berrie Burger from the Namibian team; he sustained an ankle injury against Zimbabwe A two days earlier.Namibia batted first but lacked their usual impetus at the start of their innings. Ryan Bennett turned in a superb spell of accurate and thoughtful fast-medium bowling to neutralise their middle order, taking four wickets for 26 runs in his ten overs. Namibia totalled 198 for 8 in their 50 overs.Manicaland began unimpressively, losing two wickets for 20. But their debutant opener Colin de Grandhomme, a former Under-19 player and son of the former national player Laurence, batted with remarkable skill and maturity to score 96 not out, aided by an equally fine unbeaten 80 from Stuart Matsikenyeri, who was dropped down the order after a run of poor form. They took Manicaland to victory without further loss.
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Mashonaland turned in their poorest performance for many a long year as theywent down by six wickets to Midlands in the Faithwear Series match atTakashinga Cricket Club in Highfield, Harare. The match was over beforelunch as Mashonaland, who have won every provincial title for five seasonsand still have the strongest team on paper, went down to their secondsuccessive defeat in the one-day competition.At 55 for 3, with Tatenda Taibu on 16, there was no hint of the disasters tocome, but the last seven wickets could manage only eight runs. The mainbeneficiary of rank bad batting was Ian Nicolson, quick but erratic, andperhaps flattered by his figures of 5 for 28. He was backed by InnocentChinyoka (3 for 9) and Amos Maungwa (2 for 17). Top scorer was Extras withan imposing 24.Douglas Hondo struck back for Mashonaland, dismissing both Midlands openerswith just a single on the board, but Craig Ervine, with an aggressive 26,and Vusi Sibanda (24 not out) took Midlands home to a victory that must haveastonished them.

An 11-member Australia A cricket squad arrived in Pakistan for a five-match tour early Friday, the first tour by any Australian team in seven years.Australia’s senior cricket team, which last toured Pakistan in 1998, refused to return in 2002 over security fears sparked in the wake of the September 11 attacks on the United States and the ensuing troubles in neighbouring Afghanistan.Only a pre-tour security assessment cleared the Australia A tour, during which they will play only in Rawalpindi – near the capital Islamabad – and the eastern city of Lahore. A security officer is also travelling with the team.”Cricket Australia and the Pakistan Cricket Board discussed and agreed to the security arrangements for the players and we are delighted to be here,” Robertson told AFP on the squad’s arrival. “I don’t think the players have anything on their minds other thancricket and it’s a great opportunity for them to make their mark.”Australia A captain Brad Haddin, understudy to current Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist, and two other players – Brad Hodge and Stuart Clark – will arrive from England later. Shaun Tait, who was required to play in the fifth Test against England at The Oval, was replaced by upcoming Queensland quick bowler Mitchell Johnson.Australia A will open their tour with a four-day match against Pakistan A at Rawalpindi from Sunday while the second four-day match, also at Rawalpindi, will be played from September 17 to 20. The three one-day matches are all scheduled in Lahore on September 23, 25 and 27.Pakistan named Test discard Misbahul Haq to lead the Pakistan A side, which also include Test openers Yasir Hameed and Salman Butt, allrounder Shoaib Malik and fast bowlers Mohammad Sami, Umer Gul and Shahid Nazir. “PCB has approached this series very seriously by naming a strong squad and I hope it’s going to be a very exciting series played in the true spirit,” said Robertson.Australia A – Brad Haddin (New South Wales – captain), Michael Hussey(Western Australia), Nathan Bracken (NSW), Stuart Clark (NSW), Daniel Cullen (South Australia), Brad Hodge (Victoria), James Hopes (Queensland), Phil Jaques (NSW), Michael Lewis (Victoria), Marcus North (Western Australia), Dominic Thornely (NSW), Shane Watson (Queensland), Mitchell Johnson (Queensland), Cameron White (Victoria).