Under siege batsman Michael Slater hopes to finally “clear the air” tomorrow and resume his high-profile comeback after the Australian Cricket Board today denied a weekend incident had put his $200,000 contract in jeopardy.The sacked Test and NSW opener today issued an apology for his fiery outburst at the media at a Sydney grade match on Saturday.Slater said he was in a state of “shock and disappointment” at the time but it did not excuse his behaviour.Playing his first innings since being axed from the NSW team, the 74-Test veteran hurled his helmet and swore at reporters and photographers after being forced to retire hurt when cut over the eye by a rising delivery when on 12.Despite a newspaper report today stating the incident had put his six-figure contract in jeopardy, ACB public affairs general manager Brendan McClements said that was “just not right”.”If there was any disciplinary action taken, the first issue really lies with NSW cricket,” he said.”Any suggestion that Michael’s contract is in jeopardy is just not right.”NSW Cricket chief executive David Gilbert said he spoke with the ACB today and ruled out any further action on Slater except for a press conference at the SCG tomorrow which he hoped would finally “clear the air once and for all”.”I have spoken to the ACB this morning. There was no official report lodged by the umpires, nor was there anything from the media in terms of threats of physical abuse or verbal abuse,” he said.”I think there has been a lot of licence used in terms of facts about Saturday.”But Michael has apologised for his actions on Saturday and will front a press conference tomorrow to clear the air once and for all on Michael Slater the cricketer who … wants to be given a chance to get his career back on track.”Once those questions have been answered and Michael’s able to put his side of events over we can all get on with our respective jobs.”Gilbert said he empathised with Slater who was “hurting like hell” and denied the weekend incident would hamper the opener’s comeback.”I have spoken to Michael today, he certainly regrets what happened on Saturday,” he said.”But I think Michael has certainly been pursued quite unfairly over the last few weeks by some sections of the media.”Gilbert said Slater needed space as he attempted to break back into the Test team.”About eight months ago Michael Slater was opening the batting for Australia and here is on Saturday opening the batting for his club,” he said.”At the end of the day I’m certain he would love to be in South Africa with the Australian team or in Perth with his NSW teammates [playing a Pura Cup game].”The facts are he’s not, he’s hurting like hell, he’s desperate to get back into the team and then all of a sudden he gets cleaned up – it just goes from bad to worse.”What’s been disappointing about all this is that some people for some reason are trying to kick him while he is down.”I think at times like this you’ve got to get behind people.”If this is the way we seize on our people once they show a sign of weakness it’s a pretty sad state of affairs.”Gilbert also slammed a newspaper report quoting an unnamed senior Blues official who allegedly said: “Slater is a loose cannon and has lost the plot totally”.”I’ve not been able to track the source of that quote. Needless to say I think it was a totally inappropriate comment to make and something I can’t believe someone involved in NSW cricket would make,” he said.

Twenty-one wickets fell on the first day of the match between Central Districts and Auckland at Fitzhebert Park, Palmerston North.A treacherous pitch is making a lottery of a game that could go a long way to deciding the outcome of the State Championship.When Auckland began their second innings there was a real possibility that the match could be the first of first-class status anywhere in the world since 1960 to finish in a day.With a combination of positive play and the slice of luck that is essential for survival here, Mark Richardson (38 not out) guided Auckland through the final 20 overs to finish the day on 59/1, needing 43 more to make CD bat again.Upon winning the toss CD skipper Jacob Oram put the opposition in, just as Auckland captain Brooke Walker would have done had he called correctly.Auckland coach Tony Sail told CricInfo that concerns about the state of the pitch made the decision inevitable.”Both sides were going to put the opposition into bat on a dry pitch because they were worried about it. You were going to have a bowl because it was poor. Its an unstable surface, it looks like its got this year’s grass growing over last year’s thatch.”The result was a pitch with extravagant lateral movement and enough pace for the unstable bounce to provide threatening lift. All day, the unplayable delivery was potentially just a ball away.Sail thought that, though the pitch could not be considered dangerous, it was not very far within the parameters of safety.”Its a yard of pace short of being dangerous,” he said. “It has been bad for the players’ confidence.”Auckland were bowled out 15 minutes before lunch for 71, three less than their lowest-ever against CD, on this ground in 1952/53.An inside edge onto the stumps by Richardson off the fourth ball of the innings started the forlorn procession to and from the changing rooms.Left-armer Lance Hamilton caused most problems, bowling an intelligent length to finish with a career-best six for 36.Six of the first eight wickets fell to catches in the arc behind square on the off-side. The CD fielding was outstanding, making the most of the opportunities offered by the conditions.The best catch of all was the caught and bowled taken by Andrew Schwass to dismiss Andre Adams, who had predictably decided that aggressive batting was the answer. The ball spiralled through the air for an age, the howling wind that persisted all day changing its flight path a dozen times. Schwass waited until the last moment before diving full length to take the catch.At 24/5 the CD reply appeared to be going following the same path as Auckland. Chris Drum with three wickets, and Gareth Shaw with two, wreaked havoc with the new ball, four wickets falling in four overs at one stage.At this point Glen Sulzberger and Bevan Griggs came together to put on 57 for the sixth wicket, the best stand of the day and the most decisive factor in giving CD the advantage at its conclusion.Sulzberger made 61 from 139 balls with six fours, an innings that in this context was worth 150. CD coach Dipak Patel attributed Sulzberger’s success to playing straight.”He was very positive with his shot making and his shot selection was excellent,” he said.Salt was rubbed into Auckland’s wounds in the form of a partnership of 33 – the second-highest of the innings – between Schwass and Michael Mason for the tenth wicket. Schwass took 18 from a Shaw over, including two sixes over square leg, one of which almost cleared the grandstand. The first-innings lead was extended to 102.Sail admitted that Auckland’s back-up bowlers failed to build on the good work done with the new ball.”We let it slip a bit. Andre [Adams] would be the first to admit that he didn’t get line and length right. He was still bowling a one-day length and he struggled.”Adams finished with three for 44, but bought his wickets in a way that Auckland could not afford.Sail told CricInfo that the Fitzherbert Park pitch was the most demanding of a series of poor surfaces that his team have played on this year.”The standard of pitches throughout the country is bad. You keep it to yourself for a certain amount of time, but these guys are trying to do everything they can to show off their skills to the selectors as professional first-class cricketers and it’s a tragedy,” he said.The four batsmen from whom the top three in the CLEAR Black Caps order in the forthcoming Test series will likely be selected – Richardson, Matt Horne, Mathew Sinclair and Lou Vincent – are playing here. As preparation for them, and as an aid to selection, it has been an entirely useless experience.Consideration must be given for penalties for inadequate pitches in domestic cricket.

Star off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan will miss Sri Lanka’s crucial VB Series clash against England on Friday after pulling a thigh muscle.Muralitharan, who took four wickets for 27 during Sri Lanka’s four-wicket defeat against Australia on Wednesday, pulled the muscle whilst fielding.The off-spinner returned to the field to complete his final two overs, picking up the wicket of Shane Watson, but did so from a shortened run-up.Muralitharan will miss Sri Lanka’s two remaining group games in the triangular series but should be fit for the finals should Sri Lanka qualify, according to team manager Ajit Jayasekera.”Murali has pulled a muscle and will be out of action for approximately a week to 10 days,” said Jayasekera.Jayasekera confirmed that Muralitharan had insisted on returning to the field and completing his spell despite being in discomfort.Sri Lanka have 13 points and need to beat England, who have 14, if they are to qualify for the three-match finals.Meanwhile, match referee Clive Lloyd fined the Sri Lanka team 15% of their match fee for a slow overate.

FULL NAME: Eddo Andre Brandes
BORN: 5 March 1963, Port Shepstone (Natal)
MAJOR TEAMS: Zimbabwe (since 1985), Mashonaland Country Districts(1994/95-1995/96), Mashonaland (1996/97-2000/01).
KNOWN AS: Eddo Brandes. Nickname: `Chicken George’
BATTING STYLE: Right Hand Bat
BOWLING STYLE: Right Arm Fast Medium
OCCUPATION: Chicken farmer
FIRST-CLASS DEBUT: Zimbabweans v Minor Counties, at Cleethorpes, 1985
TEST DEBUT: Inaugural Test v India, at Harare Sports Club, 1992/93
ODI DEBUT: 10 October 1987, v India, Hyderabad (World Cup)
BIOGRAPHY (updated January 2003)Eddo Brandes is probably the world’s most famous chicken farmer. He was the spearhead of Zimbabwe’s bowling attack for over ten years, and was just at his peak when Zimbabwe gained Test status in 1992.A few months earlier he had played the major role in an unexpected victory by Zimbabwe over England in the World Cup of 1991/92, breaking the back of the England innings with four cheap wickets. He received far more prominence, though, against England in 1996/97, the highlight of his career at the age of 33, when he appeared to be fitter and bowling perhaps better than ever before. Despite the presence of several promising young pace bowlers, Eddo was determined to continue to play a leading part in the Zimbabwean team, and his skill and experience kept him in the selectors’ minds right up to the 1999/2000 season, when he was unexpectedly recalled for what was probably his final Test match.Eddo was born in Port Shepstone, on the southern coast of Natal, but shortly afterwards his father, a farmer, moved to Rhodesia, as it then was, to work on a sugar estate near Triangle in the Lowveld. Although his father was not an active cricketer, he did shoot for the country. Eddo attended Murray McDougall Primary School at Triangle and played cricket there; he was inspired to take more interest in the game by the visits of national cricketer Brian Davison to coach while he was in Standard 3 (Grade 5). He both batted and bowled and, although in adult cricket his bowling has taken precedence, he has always been a potentially dangerous batsman against all but the fastest bowlers or the highest quality spinners. He was selected for the Partridges, the national primary schools team, in 1975. He moved on to Fort Victoria (now Masvingo) High School from 1976 to 1979, representing the Fawns, the national under-15 team, in 1978. In his second year there he recorded his first century, in an inter-school match. He moved on to Prince Edward School in Harare from 1980 to 1982, where he was also a boarder, and played for the Zimbabwe Schools team in 1982.After leaving school, he attended Pietermaritzburg University to study agricultural management; he also played cricket for the university, but his studies probably delayed his coming to prominence in Zimbabwe cricket. He made steady progress without any spectacular performances in Harare league cricket during the vacations and, with the selectors looking for a strike bowler to replace Peter Rawson, unavailable for the 1985 tour of England, he did well enough to be chosen. It took place during the university vacation, but he enjoyed little success.On his return to Harare the following year, he played for Old Hararians, the Prince Edward old boys’ club, and worked to start with in a furniture shop, fortunately with an employer who was kind enough to allow him plenty of time off to play cricket. He was soon opening the bowling with Peter Rawson, and once again Zimbabwe had a bowling attack with real firepower.Eddo really made his name in the season of 1986/87. After two unsuccessful outings against powerful Young West Indies team, he tore into their batsmen in the third match with his first five-wicket haul, after removing Phil Simmons and John Charles for 17. Unfortunately poor Zimbabwe batting resulted in a heavy defeat. Against Pakistan B he was the dominant bowler on either side, taking 17 wickets in three matches. His pace and hostility complemented Rawson well, although at this stage of his career he concentrated mainly on raw pace and was criticized for too much short-pitched bowling; he did not have extreme pace by world standards and the placid home pitches often resulted in the bumper being a wasted ball. As Eddo developed, he would slow his pace a little, pitch the ball up more readily and develop the skills of movement, becoming a more complete bowler in the process. He found Rawson a great help and encouragement in his development as a bowler, and also particularly mentions the support of such other players as Dave Houghton, John Traicos and Robin Brown.In 1988/89, Eddo wrote his way into the record books by becoming the first (and to date still the only) Zimbabwean bowler ever to record a first-class hat-trick. This came against Bert Vance’s New Zealand Young Internationals, when he changed the course of the match by first dismissing Gavin Larsen hit wicket, after a major partnership, and then immediately having Tony Blain caught and Mark Priest lbw.After that season, Peter Rawson immigrated to Natal and Eddo found himself Zimbabwe’s sole strike bowler. He had sometimes been forced to bowl long spells in the past due to the team’s limited bowling resources, but now he frequently found himself over-bowled. At times this proved counter-productive, as he sustained injuries and missed important matches. Another important factor was his decision to go into business himself and take up chicken farming in 1992, just before Zimbabwe gained Test status. Out at Ruwa, just east of Harare, he found it increasingly difficult to spend enough time in training and practice.Eddo has received considerable criticism for his injury problems, and he understandably resents them. He admits that he has not always been fully fit, but points out that this often proved impossible with his very time-consuming business. He went into chicken farming before professional cricket had taken root in Zimbabwe, and his foremost responsibility was to get his business established, which involved working very long hours and financial problems, as it was difficult to borrow money. He had to do all the administrative work single-handed and it was not always possible to find the time or energy that he wanted to play cricket in the peak of condition.However, he remained Zimbabwe’s number one strike bowler when the country attained Test status in 1992. After Zimbabwe had run up 456 against India in the inaugural Test, the team looked to Eddo as its main strike bowler. Unfortunately, after bowling only two overs he injured his ankle so seriously that umpire Dickie Bird thought it was broken, and he was unable to play any further part in the match. It was left to the veteran John Traicos to rise to the occasion with five wickets, enabling Zimbabwe to lead on first innings. And Eddo recovered in time to play in the New Zealand Test at Harare three weeks later, when he took four wickets. He also took 13 wickets in Pakistan the following year, but by now the increasing workload of international cricket was taking its toll.Injured early the following season, he was omitted when fit again from matches against the touring Sri Lankans, and looked a doubtful choice for the tour of Australia for the World Series Cup. While Zimbabwe were playing the one-day series against Sri Lanka, Eddo had been relegated to the Zimbabwe Board team to play Griqualand West in Kimberley. He rose to the occasion superbly. He pulverized the Griquas attack for 165 not out, including 10 sixes and 15 fours, and then ripped out seven Griqua batsmen in the first innings. Two more wickets in the second innings left him just one short of a rare match double of 100 runs and 10 wickets in the same match, previously achieved only by Percy Mansell from this country. This made his trip to Australia certain; unfortunately, another breakdown in Australia saw him return home early.Prior to his century, Eddo had generally failed to do his batting justice at first-class level. His only previous first-class fifty was an outstanding innings of 94 against the touring county side Glamorgan in 1990/91; he arrived at the crease with Zimbabwe struggling on 65 for six, and then shared a stand of 147 with the young Alistair Campbell, who went on to his maiden first-class century.Since then, he was never certain of his place in the Zimbabwean team for long. However, with his chicken farm now established, he was still determined to play a major role in international cricket. During the 1996/97 season he was fitter and bowling better than he had been for years, and fine bowling on unhelpful pitches in Logan Cup matches regained him a place in the national squad, when so many people had written him off.During the series against England, he showed that he was as good a bowler as ever, if not better. He bowled superbly in the one-day internationals, becoming the first Zimbabwean to take a one-day hat-trick in the third. His victims were all top-order batsmen: Knight, Crawley and Hussain. He bowled his ten overs without a break, taking five wickets and ensuring a Zimbabwe victory. He also contributed well with the bat in the first one-day match; coming in with eight wickets down and the match in the balance, he was told by captain Alistair Campbell to play his natural game. He responded with a huge six over extra cover, which greatly relieved the pressure, and was still there at the end. A twisted ankle caused him to miss the First Test, but in the Second he bowled very well without taking a wicket.Then came the remaining one-day matches, and Eddo overshadowed his younger partner Heath Streak, who was still not fully fit, to re-establish himself as Zimbabwe’s spearhead. In the second match he made a vital early breakthrough by dismissing England opener Nick Knight without scoring, but the third match was his greatest triumph. After Zimbabwe had scored 249, Brandes opened the bowling, unusually, from the south (city) end at Harare Sports Club. With 9 runs on the board, he had Knight caught at the wicket by Andy Flower and next ball dismissed John Crawley to a plumb lbw decision. That completed his over; with the first ball of his next over, Nasser Hussain was well caught by Andy Flower, diving to his right, and Eddo had taken Zimbabwe’s first hat-trick in one-day internationals. He later dismissed Alec Stewart and Mike Atherton to take five wickets in the innings, the first five batsmen in the order, and Zimbabwe won by 131 runs.This was followed by the triangular series in South Africa, with India also participating. Eddo opened the bowling with the big-swinging John Rennie, and seldom did they fail to achieve an early breakthrough. Eddo took five wickets in the tied match against India, and 12 wickets altogether in the three matches. He was not so successful on the spinners’ pitches in Sharjah, but he had completed perhaps the most memorable season of his career.Zimbabwe was looking forward to seeing Eddo continue his triumphs against New Zealand in 1997/98, but he began the season less fit than before, and with a long-standing Achilles tendon injury. He failed several fitness tests and missed the Test matches. He was selected for the first two one-day matches, but he was well below his best form and proved expensive, bowling too many half-volleys. He was replaced for the third match, and was forced to give his bowling a rest, although he continued to play club cricket for Universals as an opening batsman.With determination he forced himself into the side for the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in September 1998, only to fall ill there with a virus. He recovered slowly and missed the first two one-day internationals at home against India, in both of which Zimbabwe were comprehensively defeated. He was fit for the third, and the selectors brought him back immediately, desperate to bolster an attack in which Heath Streak was the only possible match-winner. His return revitalized the team, who now knew they had a bowling attack to reckon with. It took the pressure off the batsmen, who responded with the highest total of the series, and then Eddo and Heath confronted the Indian batsmen with fire and purpose. Tendulkar and Azharuddin fell almost immediately and India never recovered the lost ground.Eddo was not yet fit enough for a five-day Test, and it looked unlikely that he would play Test cricket again; coach Dave Houghton saw his future role more in the one-day game. He went to Sharjah and began in devastating form, shattering the back of the Sri Lankan innings in the first match to take three for 19, with Gunawardene, Atapattu and then Jayasuriya all dismissed lbw, paving the way for another Zimbabwean victory. But after that he was less successful in unhelpful conditions. He bowled well in Pakistan, but without much luck, and had to return home after the one-day series due to business commitments.In the New Year he suffered another setback with injuries sustained in a minor car accident. He made a comeback for Zimbabwe A against England A at the end of the season, but without approaching full pace, and the selectors must have thought hard before including him in the team for the World Cup, making him the first Zimbabwean to play in four World Cup competitions. Unfortunately he was a disappointment in England and played in only two World Cup matches, never looking a threat and in fact being given only three expensive overs against India.It looked as if his career was finally over. But he came back to play club cricket and was still ambitious to regain his place in the national team. When Zimbabwe suffered injury problems among their pace bowlers, including Heath Streak, against Sri Lanka during 1999/2000, they brought back Eddo for the Third Test, and he responded with the best bowling figures of three for 45, including those of top-order batsmen Mahela Jayawardene and Sanath Jayasuriya, which reduced Sri Lanka to 29 for three at one stage. He was hoping for selection to the triangular tournament in South Africa and the tours to West Indies and England that followed, but Streak returned and the selectors overlooked him.He announced his retirement from all cricket at the end of that season. But the following season he was seen back in club cricket, playing for Harare Sports Club, and playing a valuable all-round role for them. Eddo says it was the departure of Murray Goodwin and Neil Johnson that prompted him to return. "I thought that maybe I would have a bit more to offer Zimbabwe cricket," he said. "So I made myself available again and came out and played this season."He was to enjoy statistically his best first-class season, although helped by the very seamer-friendly conditions at Harare Sports Club and the inexperienced opposition he was bowling to. For Mashonaland in four Logan Cup matches (three at HSC), he took 21 wickets for only 146 runs, at an incredible average of 6.95. He took six for 48 against the CFX Academy, and then 5 for 12 against Matabeleland as he and Bryan Strang bowled them out in the second innings for just 19, the lowest-ever innings total in first-class cricket in Zimbabwe. His final match was against Midlands in Kwekwe, where his match figures were seven wickets for 44 runs.He intended to retire at the end of that season, but did come out at need in club cricket during 2001/02 – and did well. He was appointed coach of the CFX Academy in 2002 in succession to Dave Houghton, but that lasted only a few months. The troubles in the country, which also affected his farm, persuaded him to immigrate to Australia, which he did at the end of 2002.His most memorable match, Eddo thinks, was the hat-trick match against England, but not far behind was that World Cup victory, where Eddo himself was man of the match with four prime wickets for 21. England needed a mere 135 to win, but Eddo, who bowled his ten overs on the trot, dismissed Graham Gooch lbw first ball, and then in quick succession removed Allan Lamb, Robin Smith and his former school-mate Graeme Hick, the last two with off-cutters that went through the gate. This set up a magnificent nine-run Zimbabwean victory.

A powerful start to the new national cricket competition at The Rose Bowl!This week’s announcement (w/c 11th March, 2003) that npower is to sponsor the new Twenty20 Cup competition reinforces the expectation of some electrifying and powerful cricket at The Rose Bowl this summer.With Hampshire being selected for the prestigious inaugural match on Friday, 13th June, this all-action, twenty-over competition is precisely half the length of the previous shortest game in this country.With only an hour and a quarter to pile up match-winning runs, the pressure will be on Hampshire’s batsmen for some high run-rate cricket that is likely to have spectators on the edge of their seats as the ball is smashed around The Rose Bowl.Guaranteed live television coverage on Sky Sports will ensure that the eyes of the cricket world will be on The Rose Bowl as the two-week summer competition is launched with Hampshire clashing with Sussex in a mouth-watering South Coast derby.As smoke (the Twenty20 Cup replaces the old Benson & Hedges Cup) gives way to modern power (npower is one of the UK’s largest energy providers), the competition looks set to attract a new and younger spectator audience, particularly as off-field entertainment will include live bands, replay screens, BBQ zones and karaoke machines.”With npower’s sponsorship now confirmed, the atmosphere at the Rose Bowl is definitely going to be electric this summer.” said Nick Pike, The Rose Bowl’s managing director. “With no time for a batsman to play himself in and players throwing themselves about in the field, it’ll be powerful action all the way and a hectic evening for players and spectators alike!”Editor’s Note:The Twenty20 Cup splits the 18 First-Class Counties into three groups of six teams, the 45 group matches will be played over a 12 day period in June (13th – 24th June). The winners of the three groups and the best runner-up will progress to the finals day on Saturday, 19th July.Issued by: Hampshire CricketPress Contacts: Jane Kerr 07976 549705John Hughes 07973 705773

BRISBANE, March 14 AAP – Queensland paceman Joe Dawes knocked over NSW’s batting kingpins tonight to ensure the Bulls survived one of the best centuries of Michael Slater’s career in the Pura Cup final at the Gabba.The Blues should have been cruising at stumps on the first day after Slater scored 100 and Simon Katich supplied 82 but they ended up scurrying from the ground when bad light stopped play at 6-223 in their first innings.It was still an impressive scorecard given the challenging batting conditions, not helped by a 95-minute rain delay, but it could have been so much better for NSW if not for Dawes (3-41).The former police officer claimed 3-0 in nine balls, removing Test captain Steve Waugh (nine), Michael Clarke (zero) and Brad Haddin (one) with pinpoint LBW decisions.With Michael Kasprowicz (2-79) removing Katich, the Blues were paddling during a collapse of 4-2 which had always threatened after Queensland captain Martin Love won the toss on a juicy wicket.But Slater’s good work ensured the Blues were still fighting on level terms, with the chance to edge ahead with Mark Waugh (one not out) at the crease for tomorrow’s first session.Slater’s 36th first-class century wasn’t one of his typically ruthless knocks. It was all patience and placement because the conditions wouldn’t allow anything else.The 33-year-old kissed the NSW crest on his helmet when he reached his century, repeating the gesture that became his trademark after his 14 Test tons.”That’s the first time I’ve kissed the NSW crest, but it was quite symbolic of how I felt,” Slater said.”That hundred goes down as one of the most satisfying of my career. I take a lot from it because it’s been a tough couple of years.”I’ve always regarded myself as someone who enjoys the big occasion and the big matches and I wanted to contribute heavily in this game.”On a pitch like this, runs on the board are everything. It’s the sort of deck where (the team) could be rolled for 100 or 90.”NSW started poorly when opener Greg Mail fell for two to Adam Dale (1-15) but Slater and Katich then unleashed a 191-run stand which could mean plenty when this match ends.Katich batted for almost 30 minutes longer than Slater and their heavy partnership was vital for the Blues because batting wasn’t easy for new batsmen.”It was very lively and when it seamed, it seamed a long way so it was very hard batting against that,” Slater said.”It wasn’t dangerous, it was sporting, and you had to concentrate on every ball.”That (collapse) could have happened for us a lot earlier than it did so that’s why it was crucial that we got a good partnership.”If we can go on and get 300 it would be superb because I can’t see the pitch getting much better.”Queensland had its problems before the toss when allrounder James Hopes was ruled out with a virus.He was replaced by teenage batsman Nick Kruger, who arrived at the ground not knowing he was about to make his first-class debut.The 19-year-old is expected to open the batting for the Bulls, who have the confidence of making 349 against Victoria in similar conditions last month.

Former Guyana and West Indies ace off-spinner Lance Gibbs is strongly opposed to a foreign coach supervising the regional side.The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) announced last week that Australian Bennett King would be appointed coach of the regional team, subject to completion of contractual negotiations; but Gibbs knockedthe decision."We have had too many great cricketers to be bringing someone from outside. That’s my view," Gibbs said in an interview in St Lucia on Sunday where he was one of the patrons for the historic Double Wicket World Cup."But let’s wait and see what’s going to happen. I don’t know whois being appointed as the Australian man [King] is saying he is not the coach. I don’t know what isreally going on," declared the68-year-old Gibbs.Gibbs, a tall, wily off-break bowler, who took 18 five-wicket Test hauls and had career-best figures of eight for 38 against India at Kensington Oval in 1962, said it had not always been smooth sailing for teams who used foreign coaches as they had to resort to their own people."Let’s look at it this way. Pakistan have just got rid of their overseas coach and they brought back Javed Miandad. [John] Wright [of New Zealand] is not returning even though India did particularly well in the World Cup," Gibbs noted.Gibbs, who captured 309 wickets in 79 Tests between 1958 and 1976 at an average of 29.09 runs apiece to be the West Indies’ most successful spin bowler, said international teams had been making too many hasty decisions regarding coaches and captains."I think the whole cricketing world seems to be panicking. The English guy [Nasser] Hussain doesn’t want to be captain for the One-Day games any longer. [Sanath] Jayasuriya was coming out while [Shaun] Pollock has been fired and they [South Africa] are putting somebody else."I think they [the countries] should take it in stride and allow things to work themselves out in a much better way, because when you start firing A, B, C, D as the case may be, there is no confidence left in the individual who is going to take over," contended Gibbs.Gibbs, also a former West Indies team manager and coach, said he could not say whether the former West Indian "greats" who had coached the regional team in the past, were able to make an impact on the players. "If they are not getting through. I got through to them!"

Women’s cricket tends to struggle for a profile around the world, especially when compared to the male variety of the game, but in Pakistan there is action aplenty as three parties battle for control of the women’s game.The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB – men’s cricket) would like to have control, and decided last year that it should. But it has fallen into a legal minefield.The women’s game in Pakistan had struggled along for some years on its own without any notable assistance from men’s cricket.But the women were factionalised even then between the Pakistan Women’s Cricket Control Association (PWCCA), the body which gained the support of the International Women’s Cricket Council (IWCC), and a rival, the Pakistan Women’s Cricket Association (PWCA).Legal action has been pursued by the PWCCA over the PCB stance, and all that is missing to lift the squabble into prime entertainment class are the skills of Messrs Gilbert and Sullivan or their Urdu equivalents.Sadly, the effect of it all on the women who want to play only lends credence to the old African saying: “When elephants fight it is the grass that suffers.”The story so far goes something like this:The two women’s associations did their own thing for some years. Under Islamic tradition many parents will only allow their daughters to play cricket if no men are involved in its organisation.However, with the merging of the interests of men’s and women’s cricket occurring at national association level around the world, with the increasing likelihood of an international merger, the PCB entered the fray.With no common ground among the participating parties in sight, the High Court in Lahore directed the PCB to set up a scrutiny committee in July last year to decide which association should represent Pakistan.The PCB went to the International Cricket Council (ICC) for advice, while the PWCCA contacted Australia, England and New Zealand about their respective amalgamation models.Problems occurred when the scrutiny committee didn’t make a decision over which women’s association should run the game.It decided instead that the PCB should run the women’s game!But, according to reports, it didn’t advise the High Court of its decision.As a result, the PWCCA sought legal action to remedy the situation.The matter is vital for two reasons.Most notably because women’s cricket is likely to come under the control of the ICC from next year.While no final decision has been made on a merger, it will be discussed when the IWCC board of management reports to the full council of the IWCC at Voorshoten, near The Hague, on July 24.Only then will there be discussion on the merger proposal that has been under consideration with the ICC.At the same meeting, the PCB request for membership of the IWCC will be considered. Given the ICC’s controversies of late, it is a given that no merger will proceed while the Pakistan question is unresolved.But more immediately, the Women’s World Cup qualifying tournament is to be held in the Netherlands soon.Clearly this is a prestigious event for Pakistan, so prestigious that the PCB went ahead and held trials. This despite the fact that no official decision had been made over who should be running the women’s game.The PWCCA complained long and hard but the PCB ignored the situation. Finally, the point of embarrassment was reached when the PWCCA obtained a Stay Order from the High Court which prevented the PCB from selecting a side.The PCB went to the ICC who in turn sent the PCB to the IWCC who informed them the PWCCA was the only body capable of having a team at the tournament.Not surprisingly, the women’s world body which also has as one of its requirements, the fostering of the women’s game around the world, wants to see some resolution to the situation.The IWCC have called for all the interested parties to get around the table to discuss the issues under the arbitrary eye of a respected and independent figure in cricket in Pakistan.IWCC president, Christine Brierley, of Australia, said today: “The IWCC has informed the PCB that it has a responsibility to act fairly with its members, and any change to the status of an existing member body must be made in accordance with the IWCC rules, and the rules of natural justice.”The IWCC position regarding Pakistan is that we, with the ICC, encourage a comprehensive development programme and structure for women’s cricket. However, in saying that, we are also mindful of the complexities of the situation, which are political, and additionally complicated by the vested interests of the various parties involved and set against their own cultural requirements as in religious constraints.”There should be an interesting couple of months leading up to the event.

New Milton all-rounder Ryan Beck came in at eight to hit an undefeated 77 and haul his side from the brink of defeat to a dramatic one-wicket Southern Electric Premier League, Division 3 win at Waterlooville.Responding to Ville’s 214 all out, Milton cruised to 70-1 (Ben Clarke 46), but were torn apart by off-spinner Martin Shephard (4-14) and veteran Stan Rudder (3-50), who sent the innings into freefall at 105-6.Hero Beck emerged from the dressing room to transform the game, only to find New Milton in even deeper trouble at 148-8 (Dave Wheeler 27).But, timing the ball superbly, Beck turned the match on its head with a stunning 77 not out.Ville’s 214 all out was almost entirely due to Australian Chris Baumann, who struck a magnificent 148 and looked set for a double century until he holed out to Clarke to earn Lee Beck (4-61) one of his four victims.Trojans, now among only two unbeaten sides, remain top after Paul Douglas (5-21) skittled Hook & Newnham Basics for 84 to set up an eight-wicket win at Stoneham Lane.Alton, who receive Trojans on Saturday, ran up 266-6 at Flamingo, with Ben Jansen (82), Michael Heffernan (68) and Richie Morgan (48) at the forefront of the action.Run shy Flamingo managed only 132, with Saints footballer Jason Dodd (28) top scoring after taking 4-48.Rowledge surrendered their unbeaten record when Andy White (87) and Andy Whyte (42) shared a seventh-wicket stand of 134 to lift Ventnor from 109-5 towards a towering 259-9.Wycombe Wanderers hopeful Matt Warner took 3-57 for Rowledge, who crumbled to 127 all out.Winchester KS skittled Hambledon for 84 all out and won by nine wickets, while Peter Lamb hit 41 and took 5-41 in Paultons’ 52-run victory at Leckford.

India’s selectors have refused to send any replacements to supplement the injury-hit A side’s tour of England. Three of the squad – Sridharan Sriram, Vijay Bharadwaj, and Avishkar Salvi – are unlikely to be fit in time for the start of tomorrow’s match against Yorkshire at Headingley.The injuries were discussed in a telephone conversation between Sandeep Patil, the team’s coach, and SK Nair, the secretary of the Indian board, but a decision was taken that the squad would not be sent any replacements. “Our job is to report the matter, not ask for replacements,” Patil told rediff.com. “But one more injury and we will be in real trouble.”Sriram sustained a hairline fracture to his left arm when he was struck in the nets, Bharadwaj fractured a finger, while Salvi split the webbing on his left hand.