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Two British explorers, about to undertake an expedition to plot the exact location of the Magnetic North Pole, are planning to play the world’s most northerly game of cricket if they do find it.London banker Matthew Hancock, 26, and 28-year-old Kilkenny-based engineer Matt Coates will trek over parts of the Arctic Ocean never before covered by man while gathering vital scientific data into the damaging effects of climate change on one of the world’s most remote areas.They will face extreme dangers throughout the expedition, not least the threat of the Arctic’s 20,000 polar bears as well as the obvious hazards posed by the elements … hypothermia, frostbite, gangrene and hypoglycaemia, as well as the further risk of injury caused by falling through thin ice.The Climate Change Magnetic Pole Expedition 2005, sponsored by the European Climate Exchange, the Chicago Climate Exchange and Brit Insurance Holdings, will involve the two explorere trekking more than 500 miles in around six weeks, dragging sledges weighing more than 120 kilos.Brit Insurance, which also sponsor Surrey CCC and The Brit Oval, have challenged Hancock and Coates to celebrate their arrival at the Magnetic North Pole by attempting the most northerly game of cricket ever played.

Tim May, chief executive of the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA), has distanced himself from comments made by Ian Smith, the association’s legal advisor.Smith was quoted in The Guardian as warning that the players are set to pass a vote of no confidence in the ICC. “People are increasingly seriously asking why aren’t we walking away,” Smith said. “The competence of the administrators is being called into question at a policy level. We believe that because the players are better organised and that talent has been radically revalued by the Indian leagues it’s time to look at whether the players can do a better job than the current policy makers.”But May moved quickly to clarify that Smith’s views were not those of FICA. “Ian’s comments represent his personal view on the matter and do not represent FICA’s position at this time. This is not to say, however, that FICA does not have concerns with the governance structure of the ICC.”After the World Cup last year, which was widely considered to have been poorly administered, FICA issued a poll in which 56% of players who took part expressed a lack of confidence in the ICC. “FICA stated its concerns with the governance structure of the ICC at that time and called upon the ICC to review its governance structure, to determine whether its current structure is the most appropriate for an international sport,” May said. “FICA’s position in regard to this issue has not changed.”May added that FICA was undertaking another survey with the results expected at the end of next month. “We will then communicate any relevant matters that relate directly to ICC, direct with the ICC.”

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
5th day
Bulletin – Ntini’s 13 wickets rout West Indies
Commentary – Lara’s Saturday of brilliant sunshine
Stats- Ntini rules against the Windies4th day
Bulletin – Sarwan and Bravo keep West Indies afloat
Quotes – Sarwan: ‘We need another 100 runs’
Big Picture – Death knell for Nel
Big Picture – Sarwan takes a tumble3rd day
Bulletin Smith hundred puts sloppy West Indies on the back foot
Big Picture – Digicel delight2nd day
Bulletin – Smith leads South Africa’s reply
Quotes – ‘I’m sure we can bowl them out again’ – Nel
Big Picture – High five1st day
Bulletin – Brilliant Lara stands alone
Quotes – Lara targets double-hundred at home
Big Picture – A hug for LaraPreview
West Indies back to full strength

Sachin Tendulkar, whose absence contributed in no small measure to India’s utterly limp display in the ICC Champions Trophy, could be back in action within a fortnight. Dr Anant Joshi, the surgeon who examined him on his return to India earlier this week, told Press Trust of India that the best-case scenario could even see Tendulkar back in time to be part of the squad for the second Test, which starts in Chennai on October 14.”Optimistically speaking, he would be able to play cricket in two weeks’ time,” said Joshi. “In a worst case scenario it may take even two months.”Tendulkar has been sidelined with tennis elbow, and hasn’t played since the Asia Cup in July. Both Joshi and Andrew Leipus, the team physiotherapist, will be monitoring his progress over the next couple of weeks.Ice and heat packs have been used as part of the treatment, in addition to massage of the affected area. And while in England, Tendulkar also tried shock therapy, a course of treatment which has been effective in other cases.Though there are many volunteers to treat India’s talisman, Joshi reckoned that rest and relaxation was the best way forward. Tendulkar himself is eager to get back in the fray, and was even exploring the idea of playing for Mumbai against Australia in a few days time.That is highly unlikely, but the Mumbai Cricket Association are keeping their options open. Ratnakar Shetty, the MCA joint secretary, told , “A slot has been kept open in case Tendulkar is able to play.”

South Africans 8 for 205 (50 overs, Dippenaar 83, Rudolph 50, Johnson 3-33) beat Queensland 111 (Bichel 37, Kruger 3-18, Pollock 3-22) by 94 runs
Scorecard

A day after their Twenty20 thrashing, South Africa warmed up for the VB Series with a resounding 94-run win against Queensland at The Gabba. The South Africa seamers tore the home side’s batting to shreds with Garnett Kruger emerging as the surprise package by snaffling three scalps.Kruger may not have been in the squad if Makhaya Ntini had been fit but, after his 3 for 18, he has now pushed himself forward for a starting place in South Africa’s first game, against Australia on Sunday.Graeme Smith indicated that Kruger and Monde Zondeki would get opportunities throughout the VB Series: “They’re young boys but they’ve been around a while in domestic cricket,” he said. “They’ll get an opportunity during the VB series and tonight’s a good start for them.”Kruger started the Queensland slide by removing Jimmy Maher in the second over and, with Shaun Pollock also wading in with three wickets, the run chase was soon in tatters at 6 for 28. Zondeki then chipped in with two wickets in his first over and at 8 for 50, Matthew Hayden’s 16 was threatening to be the highest score of the innings.Andy Bichel and Nathan Hauritz at least carried Queensland into three figures with a ninth wicket stand of 50, before Johan Botha and Jacques Kallis wrapped up the win. However, even the efficient display in the field couldn’t hide another batting effort that was far from convincing.The South African top order struggled against the international-class attack of Bichel, Mitchell Johnson and Michael Kasprowicz. Smith again fell early when he hooked to square-leg, with his form now a growing issue, and he was quickly followed by Hershelle Gibbs and Kallis, leaving Smith to admit there was plenty of room for improvement. “There are some things to work on because the big games are coming up.”Boeta Dippenaar and Jacques Rudolph did show some form as they rebuilt with a watchful stand of 88 in 20 overs. Johnson continued to bounce back from his omission from Australia’s VB Series squad by removing Mark Boucher and Pollock in two balls, leaving Andrew Hall to boost the total with a run-a-ball 29.There is improving news for South Africa on the injury front with Andre Nel (foot), Justin Kemp (shoulder) and Ashwell Prince (thigh) all expected to be fit for the next warm-up match on Friday after being rested for this match.

David Leatherdale, Worcestershire’s veteran allrounder, has extended his one-day contract for another year. Leatherdale, 36, made his debut for Worcestershire in 1988, and after ending his first-class career in 2003, his benefit year, continued to play one-day cricket.Leatherdale has chipped in with some valuable innings in the National League and C & G Trophy this season, where he is averaging 41, but his main contribution has been with the ball. He has taken 11 wickets in the National League, at an average just under 30, and is averaging just 9.80, with five wickets, from four C & G Trophy games.”It can’t be easy coming into the side after maybe a week or more away from the team but David has done a superb job for us and still leads by example," said Ben Smith, Worcestershire’s captain. "I am glad he is going to be around again next season. He is also still a key part of our bowling unit, and his fielding still sets the standard for the rest of us.”

John Buchanan, the Australia coach, says he will retire after next year’s World Cup in the West Indies.”That’s what Cricket Australia and I have agreed to at this point,” he told . “If Cricket Australia felt as though I was still needed, I’d consider that. But basically I’m contracted till the end of the World Cup. I think that will be a good time to quit.”Buchanan, 52, took over the coach’s role from Geoff Marsh after the 1999 World Cup and guided Australia to another title in 2003. He said that his decision to quit after the 2007 World Cup would provide Cricket Australia enough time to look for a replacement. “There will be a small break after the World Cup and that will be a reasonably appropriate time to hand over the mantle,” Buchanan said. “We should be in a reasonable shape. I’m sure we will be, whether we’ve won the World Cup or not.”Buchanan slammed the media’s negative image of coaches, saying that it was incorrect to see them as being of little use. “From certain sections of the media, past players and commentators, I think there’s a total lack of understanding of what the coach does,” he said. “A lot of their comments… I tend not to worry about them, because they are comments coming from ignorance.”Buchanan likened the coach’s role to that of the head of a family. “There’s guidance, there’s counselling, there’s discipline, there’s sitting down and being a best mate, there’s sitting down and giving a good kick in the pants. There’s planning about how the family is going to go forward. The family grows, the family changes, you have to deal with that. We work and play together so we do operate more like a family,” he said.

Zimbabwe Cricket has announced that the long-awaited forensic audit of its accounts will be undertaken by Ruzengwe and Partners, a Harare-based office which, according to the Zimbabwe Institute of Accountants, has only two partners.The audit, which critics of the board have been demanding since last autumn, was promised when the Sports & Recreation Committee appointed an interim board, headed by Peter Chingoka, to run the game in Zimbabwe pending elections later in the year. At its first meeting, the interim board announced that it had decided to appoint “a firm of auditors of international repute”.While there are no reasons to question the independence of Ruzengwe and Partners, and they are certainly a well-known local accountants, critics had hoped that a bigger firm with a better international presence would be brought in. There are also concerns that the terms of reference for the audit are defined by the interim committee.Opponents of the board reacted with dismay but not surprise. One leading administrator told Cricinfo that it was “a farce” and questioned “whether a firm of that size is capable of carrying out a massive and complex forensic audit”.”Ruzengwe and Partners is an independent, internationally recognised auditing firm accredited to the list of auditors of institutions recognised by the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe,” Chingoka said. “It is also a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Zimbabwe. Their report will be there for all to see.”

Sourav Ganguly must love irony. Of all the grounds in the world to make a one-day comeback, of all the venues to seek redemption, he returns to Nagpur. His previous trip here, when India were humiliated in a series-deciding clash against Australia, is widely considered the starting point of his downfall. Today, with close to 500 spectators cheering him on at the nets, he was like Napoleon preparing for revenge at Waterloo.Ganguly hasn’t played a one-day international for India since September 2005. Ironically – yes, that word again – he’s managed seven Tests in that period, ironical because Ganguly in one-dayers is colossal compared to Ganguly in Tests. Few have blended bravado and skill so deftly in the first 15 overs and almost nobody has trotted down the track to 150kph thunderbolts and slotted them over long-off.His half-hour workout today, divided between the fast bowlers and the spinners, was the most exciting part of a rather mundane nets session. Apparently simulating the first 15 overs of an ODI, he swung his bat merrily. He spanked Zaheer Khan, who was the sharpest bowler on the day, RP Singh and Sreesanth – his short arm jab off RP Singh that soared into the stands was most eye-catching. The spinners were simply mangled. Harbhajan Singh was clattered for two huge sixes, Ramesh Powar received some back-foot peppering and the lesser known net bowlers didn’t stand a chance.Batting in the nets next to him was Robin Uthappa, who has butchered bowlers around the domestic circuit and is a likely opening partner for the first match. Sachin Tendulkar, recently promoted to the vice-captaincy and looking all pumped up with the responsibility, is likely to be moved down the batting order. He and Rahul Dravid, quite detached from the action today and looking tired while running between the wickets, will be expected to shore up the middle order. Yuvraj Singh, who isn’t in the squad for the first two games, batted and bowled for brief periods but didn’t look in any sort of discomfort.Just one glance at India’s cricketers practicing at the VCA Stadium in Nagpur, and you knew that this was a team back to square one, as they were before that sorry 4-0 defeat in South Africa. Three hours of run-of-the-mill loosening up, involving players trying to desperately overcome their lethargy, was as sober as you can get. Forget adventure sports, military-training sessions and fancy rolling camps – this was a good old-fashioned warm-up.

Nobody typified the rustiness more than Ramesh Powar, huffing his way through the fielding drills. Anil Kumble’s absence provides India a chance to try out two spinners on a pitch that will assist turn as the game progresses and India’s advantage is that the two offspinners have contrasting styles. “Harbhajan has a flatter trajectory. He looks for bounce from the wicket — not that he doesn’t get any turn. He gets big turn too and he has been our best ODI bowler in the last year,” Dravid said yesterday. “Powar, meanwhile, looks to beat batsmen with guile. Flight is his preferred mode of attack. I think he will be around for a long while and will be able to step into Anil Kumble’s shoes whenever the situation arises. Despite the fact that both of them are offspinners, they tend to bowl well in tandem. They complement each other well and if the opportunity does arise, we will bowl them together.”Kumble’s shoes aren’t easy to fill but Dravid’s tone pretty much conveys that the series won’t be about set patterns. Trying out a few new players – Joginder Sharma warmed up nicely with both bat and ball today, Dinesh Karthik smashed a few around before undertaking a fielding workout – may just be the idea. It’s not as bad an idea as it sounds because India’s one-day graph over the last one year had soared, dipped and finally reached starting point. Now that’s another big irony of our times.

Scorecard

There was a distinct end-of-term feeling in the air at The Rose Bowl as Hampshire reached 424 for 4, on the first day of their match against the champions Nottinghamshire. A big hundred from John Crawley on his 34th birthday was the centrepiece of a solid Hampshire performance, but with the title already won, Nottinghamshire rested a few frontline players, and those that took to the field looked well below par – a total of 62 extras told its own story.A few weeks ago, this match appeared to offer a mouthwatering finale to the summer. It was potentially a championship decider; billed as the showdown between Shane Warne and Kevin Pietersen, it also gave Pietersen the chance to get one over on the county he left last autumn on less than happy terms. But Nottinghamshire wrapped up the competition at Canterbury last weekend and, although Warne was in the Hampshire XI, Pietersen was not, instead placed in mothballs by the ECB.All that was at stake was Hampshire’s bid for second place, but a small and quiet crowd indicated that was not really much to get out of bed for. Nottinghamshire huffed and puffed but rarely got out of second gear, and while Crawley made an unbeaten 150, it was not one of his finest innings. He struggled for most of the first two sessions, and was put down by Darren Bicknell at gully off an oh-so-routine chance when on 28. He timed few shots, and although the drive which brought up his fifty was sublime, it highlighted his general difficulty. To his credit, he continued to battle and after tea finally began to open up and show the class act he remains.Nottinghamshire, who won the toss and stuck Hampshire in under a leaden sky, struck early when Andy Harris bowled Sean Ervine for 9. But their bowlers lacked consistency, failing to exploit the early moisture in the pitch and offering both James Adams and Simon Katich enough width for them to brutally and repeatedly milk the square cover boundary. There was one more success before lunch. Adams, who had more than compensated for the pedestrian Crawley, gifted his wicket to the persevering Graeme Swann the ball after reaching 50, driving to Jason Gallian at short extra-cover. Two balls later, Swann dropped a caught-and-bowled chance low to his right before Katich had scored. It was an expensive spill.

Katich wasted no time in capitalising, surviving an even easier fumble by substitute Mark Hussey at second slip, before being strangled for 53 down the leg side by 19-year-old Mark Footitt. Footitt, who struggled with his run-up and also persistent no-balling, showed enough fire to leave the impression he is a bowler worth watching, as his inclusion in this winter’s National Academy demonstrates.Paul Franks is another who was one talked of in such terms, but who has had a lean time of late. He took one wicket – Jono MacLean caught by Stephen Fleming at first slip for a breezy 67 – and produced some testing deliveries. But in between, he was plagued by no-balls and also picked up an official warning for running down the wicket – something that would have caused more concern to his own batsmen than the umpire, given that Hampshire have both Warne and Shaun Udal in their ranks. Franks’s body language showed that he was ill at ease, as did the expletive which echoed round the empty stands when no-balled for the umpteenth time.Crawley and Nic Pothas scored at will in the final hour, and Nottinghamshire will have to crank up their act for the remainder of the match if their memorable season is not to end with a thoroughly forgettable performance.