South Africa's icy plans to beat UAE heat

Perhaps the only thing you can't buy in a Dubai shopping mall is reality. Stroll through any one of the monstrous mazes and you can do anything from test driving a sports car to skiing down a slope of man-made ice. For the latter, you can even buy a fur coat if needs be.

"Can't see these being big sellers in UAE," Graeme Smith posted on Twitter, after spotting some of the fluffy, warm items through a shop window. Precisely.

But there is one kind of jacket that could become a must-have in these parts: the ice-vest. You're unlikely to see it on any of the catwalks but if you're tuned in to the cricket, look for it beyond the boundary. That's where some of the South Africa players will be taking a minute or two to put it on and cool down while on the field against Pakistan.

The garment, as explained by spin-bowling consultant Claude Henderson, is simply "a jacket with ice inside it" but it is a bit more complicated than that. South Africa have been trialling a range of different articles, including neck pieces, discs and bandanas, some of which contain a freezable gel that assists in bringing body temperature down.

It's not an entirely revolutionary concept - few things in fashion are - and fitness trainer Greg King said he has seen them worn by teams such as Australia and India in the past, but it is something South Africa are trying to perfect usage of as they head into what's expected to be a hot series.

The average high for October in Abu Dhabi sits at 35 degrees Celsius. It has been mostly hotter for the time South Africa have been here. Sharjah went up to 40 degrees and although cricketers play in these conditions on occasion, they need to be watched carefully when they do.

"When the environmental temperature is hotter than the body or close to body heat, it becomes very difficult for your body to lose heat," King said. "The temperature of skin is around 32 degrees so when it is close to that outside, the body will be generating heat and its mechanism for dispensing with it is made less efficient.

"If you get too hot, your body will tell you to slow down. You won't be able to put in as much effort. And then you will not get guys bowling at 100%, they'll be at 80%."

South Africa want their players, particularly their fast bowlers, to be able to deliver at their maximum in this series. If they need to be kept on ice to do that, that's what King is going to do. "When they are on the field, they can't wear an ice-vest because it's cumbersome and there are regulations about what you can and can't put on so we've to experiment with when they come off the field and during drinks breaks," King said. "It's just giving the guys a minute or two of comfort."

Dale Steyn was spotted donning the jacket on a few occasions during the practice match and a handful of other players had the neck-wear on. Robin Peterson though, had neither on and had not even heard of them until asked. "I don't think I'll need it, I'm ok in the heat," Peterson said.

Like Peterson, most members of the South Africa squad have started to acclimatise to the heat. Smith said they are "feeling more settled" now than they were on arrival, when it was like "walking into a steam bath." Having played in places King described as similarly hot and humid - Chennai, Kochi and even Durban - turning out in the UAE is not a task that should burn them out.

Still, they want to find different ways of managing the players' response to extreme conditions and the latest wardrobe is one of them. Those who don't have an interest in haute couture will be pleased to know new clothes are not the only way the emperors - according to the Test rankings at least - plan to overcome heat.

King also plans to resort to good, old-fashioned umbrellas on the side of the field where the players can get a spot of shade when needed. The officials have yet to rubber-stamp his request to position them at various places along the boundary but King said he will "try and push for four umbrellas around the ground." He has revealed they are "more effective than any of the garments we have." Now that's a reality check indeed.


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Champions Trophy failure casts shadow for Cook

By any standards, Alastair Cook has enjoyed a fine first year as captain of the England Test and ODI teams. In a role which is largely defined by Ashes success, England's 3-0 victory over Australia stands out, though the Test series victory in India might well, in the long-term, be rated as the greater achievement. Either way, to have lost only one Test in 14 and won seven more is a fine record.

Yet it is a reflection of Cook's high standards and expectations that, when asked to reflect on his first year in charge, it is a failure that stands out.

Failing to win the Champions Trophy final still hurts. England, with the game in their grasp, surrendered their chance to win a first global ODI trophy. With 16 balls to go and six wickets in hand, they required only 20 to win. In the end, though, India won by five runs.

It is the first thing Cook mentions when reflecting on his year in charge.

"We should have won that game," Cook sighs. "We should have won that game of cricket chasing 130.

"As a team we are always going to be disappointed by the Champions Trophy final. It took quite a long time to get over it. It was the same for me personally. The game was in our grasp. That was a tough day and I think it took us a long time to get over.

"They were unique circumstances. To have a Champions Trophy and go straight into an Ashes within 10 days was tough. Losing knocked us down a bit more than we thought. We already started the Ashes a little bit jaded."

Cook's comments underline the high-priority England invested in the tournament. While the focus of the media and most spectators was upon the Ashes, England realised that the event presented an opportunity to win a global ODI trophy and reiterated the impression that, after years when Test cricket was the priority for England, showpiece, global limited-overs events are now held in equally high esteem. The 2015 World Cup is the next such target.

"It was certainly a good tournament," Cook said. "To have it in two weeks, with every game having meaning was sensational. Past World Cups haven't felt like that. But we had an opportunity to win the Champions Trophy and the Ashes in a short space of time and we didn't quite take it."

Cook also admitted that his relative struggles with the bat during the Ashes series - he averaged 27.70 - did "not sit easy with him."

"It's frustrating because I feel my game is in good order," he said. "You don't look at any career and see a constant upward curve. That's what being a batsmen is. But it doesn't sit easy with me to say that and accept it to be fine.

"As a captain you want to lead from the front and score runs; that is your primary job. Particularly when you play your first Ashes series as captain.

"But until you've gone through it you don't really know what to expect. It is more intense, it is more heightened.

"I don't think that has affected my batting. It's more of a bone of frustration. I still felt I contributed with three fifties and if you change fifties into hundreds it changes the complexion. I'm looking forward to putting that right."

When pushed, however, Cook did admit that England's success in India was a considerable source of pride. Cook had assumed control of a divided team reeling from the Kevin Pietersen episode and facing one of its long-established fears: spinning wickets in Asia. Yet, despite considerable odds, Cook somehow untied the dressing room and led his side from one-down after the first Test to an admirable victory.

"When you achieve something as special as that, it does reignite the side and squad," Cook said. "That will be the series that, when I stop playing cricket and look back, I will think was special.

"The next time we go to India, too, we will realise what we achieved. If you look where we were at the end of the second or third day of that first Test, I think it was an even greater achievement.

"I can't fault the lads - there is always going to be a bit or turmoil when a new captain comes in that - that is natural. I'd been captain of the ODI side, but when you lose someone like Andrew Strauss with the credit he's got and the respect he's got, there's always going to be time to get used to it. But the lads responded to me and the way we've gone on, we can't fault that. We need to draw on that in the next three months."

Alastair Cook was supporting the Chance to Shine Annual Awards. Chance to Shine is keeping cricket alive in schools and just £15 pays for a year's coaching for one child. Donate at chancetoshine.org


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Mominul starts delivering on promise

Hailing from Bangladesh' premier sports school, the BKSP, Mominul's maiden century proves why he was earmarked for the future

On a few occasions every decade, since the inception of BKSP - the country's largest sports institute - in 1986, Bangladesh cricket gets in the grip of "who's coming out of BKSP" fever. It started with Al Shahriar and Naimur Rahman in the mid-1990s and continued with Mushfiqur Rahim and Shakib Al Hasan in the early 2000s. Towards the middle and end of the last decade, Nasir Hossain, Anamul Haque and Mominul Haque were the most talked about.

In between, there have been several misses too. Players, such as Al Shahriar, pace bowler Sajal Chowdhury, and more recently Sohrawardi Shuvo, were highly-rated, but they either had technical flaws or they bowed out at a young age due to the weight of expectations.

With his maiden century against New Zealand, Mominul has begun to fulfill his early billing. It was a two-paced innings; he started off rapidly on the second day, continuing in the same vein as he went past the century-mark, but as the bowling side caught up with him, he allowed Shakib and Mushfiqur - fellow BKSP alumni - to take over the scoring.

"They probably didn't know much about my batting because on the second day, I got a lot of bad balls," Mominul said. "There was a bit of pressure on me today, particularly to score the hundred. I got a little careful as a result, but then I crossed that landmark, and the one after that.

"It was a little tough to bat today, because they bowled in the right areas. I am a disappointed at not getting a double-hundred. I don't know if I would get a second chance."

Mominul's innings would please his BKSP coaches and the age-group scouts, who have spent their lifetimes finding such talents, parading them in tournaments and then spreading the word until one of the Dhaka clubs offer them a contract.

Mohammad Salahuddin, Bangladesh's former fielding coach, used to be the coach at BKSP when Mominul was admitted to the school in the seventh grade in 2004. The mentor kept a keen eye on his progress, and made sure that his guidance wasn't lost when he left BKSP the following year.

Though now he is the coach of a Malaysian university, Salahuddin felt elated after a year of near misses. The two had a talk on the second night when Salahuddin asked Mominul to open up his stance slightly so that he can have full-view of the left-arm seamers or anyone coming around the wicket.

 
 
Normally he tapers off or tries to bat too quickly. It was quite good today, I thought he understood where he needed to stop or go after the bowling Former BKSP coach Mohammad Salahuddin
 

"I was a little concerned that he wasn't getting a big score in international cricket," Salahuddin said. "Today I saw parts of his innings. I was really pleased with how he kept the rhythm of his innings until his hundred. Normally he tapers off or tries to bat too quickly. It was quite good today, I thought he understood where he needed to stop or go after the bowling.

"He is a good guy, very disciplined and a hardworking student. You didn't have to force him to do things. The old guys at the BKSP indoor would tell you that he was there at the nets almost every day. He prepares well, like he did in this off-season when he worked on his leg-side shots."

When Mominul first came into attention with a 150 against West Indies A, then BCB president AHM Mustafa Kamal, a rather excitable administrator, wanted him in the Test squad right away during the home series against Pakistan, two years ago.

It didn't materialise, but Mominul was in selectors' eyes from then on. In his formative years after he had moved from hometown Cox's Bazar to BKSP, he quickly became one of those cricketers that the Dhaka leagues awaited after getting very positive reports from coaches and scouts of the age-groups.

Mominul followed the same route that got him to every representative side. But he hardly played more than five matches in the first-class arena. He was always going to make it to the senior side at the back of a bulk of runs, and that came last season. In eight matches, Mominul scored 443 with a top score of 120 out of the two centuries.

It was enough for the selectors to keep him in the fringes. The opening came when Shakib Al Hasan was injured ahead of the West Indies ODIs at home. A steady 25 in his fifth ODI, also the series decider, gave a glimpse of how he could hold his own.

Mominul made further strides with two fifties during the Tests in Sri Lanka, but in Zimbabwe, after not being able to convert his starts in the second Test, and looking uncomfortable at No. 3 in the ODIs, he was left out from the final ODI and told to work on his leg-side shots.

However, the off-season work, the pre-season tour of England with Bangladesh A and some runs in the Dhaka Premier League have helped him. New Zealand were taken aback by his strokes early on, but even after they restricted him on the third morning and afternoon, Mominul didn't look out of place.


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Smith confident despite brief preparation

Graeme Smith does not feel underprepared ahead of next week's Test series against Pakistan despite being out of action since May and batting for only 30 minutes in the warm-up fixture against Pakistan A.

Smith was out lbw for 2 in the first innings of the match and did not make an appearance in the second because of workload management. South Africa chose to juggle their line-up to expose the middle and lower order to the new ball and spinners.

It leaves Smith with only two short stints of match time - he played a warm-up game for Cobras last week, in which he also scored 2, and the Sharjah warm-up - ahead of South Africa's first Test series in seven months.

Smith is confident the lack of game time will not affect the way he plays when it counts the most. "I've been following the programmes in place to make sure I can get out on the field on Monday," he said. "That is the ultimate goal, to lead in a Test match."

Those plans include careful management of his return from injury. Smith was on a personalised training schedule over the winter and made incremental progress as the series approached. On departure from South Africa he said he had "upped his cricket skills" in the last two weeks so it was about "getting mentally ready" in the UAE but he wanted to "maximise the preparation available to me".

One interpretation of that would have been to get another innings under his belt but Smith explained overload was not the answer: "Not batting today was just a management process. I've had major surgery five months ago so it's about following protocols and listening to the medical team."

He admitted he would have preferred to bat longer in his first innings but did not read too much into being the only member of the top five who did not score a half-century. "I would have liked more time out there," he said. "But it's not the first time it has happened to me and it won't be the last. That's cricket. You take the good with the bad."

Later that afternoon, Smith held a long net session with coach Russell Domingo and he is certain to have a couple more before the Test. He has been working on "quite specific" aspects of his game which include, "maybe 10 to 15 minutes with the new ball and then some spin bowling" but said it's "no different" to the way he has trained in the past. "Having toured the subcontinent and the UAE before, I understand what needs to be done," he said.

This is not the first lengthy injury layoff Smith has had. His ankle has caused him problems in the past, as recently as before last year's England series when he did not play for a while before the Tests but returned with a century in his 100th game. "Last year, I didn't spend a huge amount of time in the middle before the series but I felt good about my game," he said. "You don't get it perfect like that all the time but the motivation is there."

Smith is not the only member of the side making a comeback. Jacques Kallis has not played any cricket since the IPL, after opting out of the Champions Trophy squad, and JP Duminy's ruptured Achilles has kept him out of whites since the England tour of July-August 2012. Claude Henderson, South Africa's spin consultant, said Kallis had two net sessions before declaring himself ready for the Tests and Smith knows his premier allrounder is good to go. "Jakes has the experience - he knows what it takes to come back from a layoff."

Duminy's form - in the one-day format, the unofficial Test against India A and this match - suggests he is also ready to get on with the job. "JP has played a fair amount of cricket since his injury," Smith said. "Watching him bat in the nets, it looked like he had had a whole season out there. I am very happy with where everybody is."

Although a quick glance through the scorecard of the warm-up match will illustrate that it was nothing more than a glorified middle practice, Smith said the team were able get used to the conditions, particularly the temperature. "Apart from the match, we had two pretty tough training sessions and a lot of other work in the heat," he said. "There has been a fair amount of acclimatising. We are all feeling a little more settled under the heat than we were earlier."

The squad will travel to Abu Dhabi tomorrow and Smith hopes they will settle in quickly and get ready to do what he knows they can. "This team has the ability mentally to step it up going into a big series." History has shown Smith does too, whether he has had game time or not.


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A tale of two innings

The numbers of BJ Watling and Mominul Haque's innings offer an insight into the mindset as both batsmen reacted quite differently when faced with a similar kind of pressure

The striking contrast between BJ Watling's second Test hundred and Mominul Haque's highest Test score was evident in their boundary count. Watling struck six fours and two sixes in his four-hour stay at the wicket. Mominul already has 13 fours in a 71-ball 77, which is rather uncharacteristic of his natural game.

The numbers said much about their mindset at the crease, which played a key role, as they gathered knowledge of the conditions and reacted to the situation of the match.

Mominul arrived with the score at 8 for 2 in the fourth over, with Bangladesh still 461 runs behind. He also had to contend with the possibility that a failure here might mean his exit from the XI with Naeem Islam waiting in the wings.

Watling only had tailenders for company since the seventh ball of the day's play. He had every option to attack, since he had little to lose from that point, and since he would have been forgiven for trying to up the tempo and grab what he could as their innings was starting to slide downwards.

Instead Watling chose to grind like the top-order batsmen on the first day, making sure the bowlers came to him rather than him chasing after them. A sound strategy on a slow wicket, considering the majority of the bowler's successes would revolve around the batsman making a mistake.

It came when Watling was on four as he flung at a Rubel Hossain delivery way outside off-stump and Nasir Hossain taking the catch at gully. But it was a no-ball, as revealed by the later TV replay, and Watling tightened his game.

"I am obviously feeling rather lucky today," Watling said. "It happened to one of them [the Bangladesh batsmen] too. It's great to get that opportunity to keep going and make it count and try to make a decent contribution.

"I just tried to switch back on and start again really, learnt from the mistake that I made. It was a pretty rash shot so it was good to get a chance to redeem myself and try to score as many runs as possible."

The 127-run stand for the tenth wicket with Trent Boult was more down to Watling's doing as he farmed the strike cleverly in the first hour and let Boult free in the second half of their stay at the crease.

For Watling, who was playing only his third Test innings in the sub-continent, it was only a matter of getting used to the pitch. The one in Chittagong is a typical Bangladeshi wicket which offers very little bounce to play any horizontal bat shots or any pace to work the ball.

"I wanted to be patient and wait for them to bowl some bad balls," he said. "I think if you bat a lot of time on that wicket you can get used to it and you can score runs when the bowler starts to tire."

For Mominul, this was the sort of innings that would answer some of the questions on his ability to play Test cricket. He has scored two fifties in four matches but he found things difficult in the only Test he played in Zimbabwe, and in the ODI series where they experimented with him at No. 3 for a while. He had also averaged just over 28 on Bangaldesh A's tour of England, which was disastrous for most of the tourists.

However, Mominul benefited from some ill-directed bowling. He didn't have to go out of his way to strike three consecutive fours off Bruce Martin's first over. It was the same story against Doug Bracewell in the next, and as he moved to a half-century off just 36 balls.

Mominul's innings transferred the pressure back on New Zealand as he and Marshall Ayub added 95 runs for the unbroken third wicket to take Bangladesh through till end of day's play.

The overnight batsmen's first task is to see out the first hour, whatever the quality of bowling is, especially considering Bangladesh have more often than not lost wickets early after a promising overnight score. Mominul and Ayub should take a leaf out of Watling's book, for he displayed patience when he could have easily taken the safer route of batting for himself.


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Pujara, Gambhir put India A ahead

India A 334 for 3 (Pujara 139*, Gambhir 123) lead West Indies A 268 by 66 runs
Scorecard

It was a distracting sort of day in Hubli. Even before Sachin Tendulkar announced his retirement, taking the fizz out of the game, there was enough to sidetrack you. West Indies A used four wicketkeepers - one of them not even part of their XI, but allowed on humanitarian grounds, - on two separate occasions bees invaded the field forcing the players to lie prone for minutes, a batsman was hit-wicket and bowled to the same delivery, and the goods train kept honking its horns on the nearby railway track. Gautam Gambhir, though, managed to put all that aside, concentrated hard, got lucky when the concentration broke on the rare occasion, and scored his third first-class century of the year. He has scored only three since January 2010, which is why he finds himself out of the Test side.

With Gambhir, for a majority of the innings, was a man with whom he has been discussing batting in the lead-up to the match, Cheteshwar Pujara. The two put on 207 for the second wicket to put India A in a position from where they can push for a win. At the end of the second day, they led West Indies A by 66 runs with seven wickets in hand. While Pujara remained unbeaten on 139, Virender Sehwag fell for a middling 38 after he had begun well and had the dispirited West Indies A attack at his mercy.

If that soft dismissal wasn't enough for Sehwag, he walked back to the news that his good friend, ODI opening partner, mentor and team-mate of 93 Tests, had retired. His reaction was a stunned "Oh, he is retiring?"

Gambhir had already been dismissed by then. His century was not quite a scratchy effort, but it had periods where the conviction was missing. It isn't entirely unexpected of a batsman fighting to come back to form. There were the reassuring off-drives and late cuts, and the milking of the spinners to go with it. Along the way he was helped by the generous fielding: 10 overthrows came his way to go with a dropped chance.

Gambhir's day began with two plays-and-misses in the first over, but he saw off the new ball well. Even during the spells when boundaries didn't come regularly, he didn't go out of his way looking for them. He left well on length, and reacted well to the fuller change-up deliveries, either driving them down the ground or clipping them to leg.

The first blip in concentration came in the last over before lunch when Gambhir went driving at a wide delivery, but was dropped at second slip by Ashley Nurse. He was 56 then. Soon after lunch other elements would test his concentration. In the first over after the interval, wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton hurt his finger, handing the gloves over to Jonathan Carter, who looked pretty uncomfortable but there was no better option around. Soon Carter hurt his finger too, and Nurse had to don the gloves. While that was happening, bees attacked the field. The crowd went wild. Minutes were wasted, and the batsmen wondered what was going on.

By the time Nurse took a knock himself, the match referee had allowed West Indies A to use the specialist wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton, who had sat out this game. Even as the surreal session went ahead, the odd delivery would jump out of nowhere. Gambhir was 85 when he tried his dab to third man, but was beaten by a stinger from Delorn Johnson.

When Gambhir was 93, the tea break arrived. After the break he went from 93 to 99 without fuss, but grew awfully nervous on one run short of the hundred. The first two balls on 99 went well, but the next six were excruciating even as the 15,000 spectators cheered him on. He tried to rock back and cut, he tried to step out and loft, on the odd occasion he began to run after hitting straight, and also survived a loud lbw shout when he played Nurse across the line.

Finally Nurse provided him a long hop, which Gambhir pulled in the air - not high enough to go over the head of a fielder - but in the gap between the two midwickets placed for him. Gambhir couldn't carry on for much longer. When he went back to cut Narsingh Deonarine, he went too deep into the crease, the bat came down on the middle stump, after which the ball hit the stumps.

Gambhir was given out bowled. Just like "bowled" takes precedence even though a decision against a batsman for any other method of dismissal is justified, the Tendulkar news was bound to take precedence.


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Perera hits belligerent 150 as team folds

Development XI 299 for 9 (Perera 150, Jayasuriya 56, Senanayake 3-82) trail Board XI 575 all out (Silva 125, Sangakkara 107, Eranga 4-95) by 276 runs
Scorecard

On the day Tillakaratne Dilshan officially announced his retirement, Kusal Perera made a play at his vacated opening position, slamming 150 from 142 balls on a rain-effected day three of the four-dayer at the P Sara Oval. Development XI could not offer much else with the bat though, as they finished the day on 299 for 9, in response to Board XI's 575.

Offspinner Sachithra Senanayake took three wickets in the day, while medium-pace bowlers Nuwan Kulasekara and Suranga Lakmal took two apiece. Board XI will struggle to push for an outright win however, after 49 overs were lost to rain early in the day.

Perera began the day on 70, and though he lost overnight partner Shehan Jayasuriya in the first over, he continued to score briskly, as he had the previous evening. Development XI lost four batsmen to pace bowling in the first 12 overs of the day, during which Perera scored all but six of the runs to come off the bat. He hit12 fours and six sixes in his innings, and was eventually trapped in front by Senanayake.

Niroshan Dickwella was the only other batsman to make more than 15 on day three, hitting 42 before giving Ajantha Mendis his only wicket. Malinda Pushpakumara and Vishwa Fernando finished unbeaten at stumps.


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Five-bowler strategy a positive sign for Bangladesh

Playing five bowlers paid off for Bangladesh late on the first day in Chittagong, and it's a combination is likely to work better for them in Test cricket

Bangladesh's decision to field five bowlers is one that the team management should be encouraged to take more often. This Test was the second occasion when they tried out such a combination in the past four years, and they were rewarded instantly.

Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzak got the late wickets of centurion Kane Williamson and Brendan McCullum to leave New Zealand on 280 for 5. The day mostly belonged to the visitors but, with the extra bowler, Mushfiqur dared to take the second new ball as soon as it was available. He wasn't intending to use both pacers at the time, but the harder, newer ball was always going to give the two left-arm spinners more bounce and a little more bite off the pitch.

The addition of Razzak was necessary. Effectively, he replaced Ziaur Rahman in the line-up, but the inclusion of Razzak actually kept Mahmudullah - who has been played as a specialist batsman in Tests recently - out. Mahmudullah's sudden lull in form - 34 runs in his last six Test innings - played against him. He insists that form isn't an issue as he has scored some runs in the Dhaka Premier League, but it is time for Mahmudullah to look for a different role.

As a specialist batsman, he has been employed at No. 8 for ten Tests out of the 17 he has played so far, between 2009 and the first Test against Zimbabwe last May. He has scored 591 runs at this position, including a century and four fifties, averaging 42.21 with a strike-rate of 60.80. The numbers seem fine but it is extremely rare for a team to play a specialist batsman that low down the order. In fact, none of the 29 players who have scored more runs than Mahmudullah there are specialist batsmen. Their stronger suit is bowling or wicketkeeping.

It was always a defensive move, but previous selectors have described it as a necessary move to insulate against top-order collapses. But what it has done in the past is offer too much comfort to the batsmen above Mahmudullah, resulting in him having to clean up the mess with the tail.

Instead, Razzak's presence in the attack means that Shakib can bowl freely and be used sparingly by Mushfiqur. This was probably the first time in the last five years that Shakib wasn't bowling when Bangladesh had spinners attacking from both ends. Sohag Gazi too could be used properly, despite bowling a long first spell.

Bangladesh played four and a half bowlers in their last Test also, which resulted in a 143-run win over Zimbabwe. Ziaur Rahman, who made his debut in that game batting at No. 8 and was asked to bowl his medium-pace, took four wickets in the second innings. Some called it a lucky move because Ziaur's bowling had lost its bite several years ago after a knee injury, but one extra bowler capable of even holding up an end matters for Bangladesh.

With only the four bowlers at his disposal, Mushfiqur often delays making attacking moves. The spinners are usually tired, trying to do both, maintain the run-rate and pick up wickets. The seamers are not fresh, as they have to toil with the old ball from one end. Shakib has had to plug away for 35-40 overs a day, often the only attacking and defensive option.

Moreover, Mushfiqur has to consider the fickle nature of his batting line-up when handling his bowlers. There have been times when the bowlers didn't have the time to have a considerable amount of rest before they had to bowl a second time in the game.

The result of this Test match or the ones that follow should not push the management into thinking that a batsman at No. 8 is necessary. It doesn't add strength to the line-up, it offers unwanted comfort. The Bangladesh top order is aggressive, so those batsmen being made to take on a bit of extra responsibility wouldn't hurt. A second innings chase or a final-day save could be one of those days when the No. 8 would be missed but the onus would fully be on the top seven, enough batsmen for any side.

Most importantly, it is not just runs that would win them a Test match. Five bowlers would give them more opportunities to take the 20 wickets that would actually get them closest to a Test win.


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SA plan on sole spinner for Pakistan Tests

If Claude Henderson, South Africa's spin consultant, had it his way, he would "absolutely," play all the slower bowlers available to him in the two Test series against Pakistan. Head coach Russell Domingo has indicated South Africa will go into the series with just one specialist spinner, likely to be Robin Peterson, but Henderson hopes the others can also play a role.

"It's going to be such a tough decision, especially if we know it will turn square, to decide who to leave out," Henderson said. Along with Peterson, South Africa have recalled Pakistani-born legspinner Imran Tahir to the squad and have the services of JP Duminy, who is set to play a bigger role with the ball.

None of them was able to extract much from the pitch during the practice match in Sharjah - one that Peterson called so flat it is "difficult to tell anything on, in terms of skill level", but Henderson said they've all been hard at work to fight for a Test spot. He was particularly pleased with the progress Tahir had made after being dropped following a dismal showing in the Adelaide Test against Australia last year, when he conceded 260 runs and did not take a wicket.

"It's great to see Imran back after a tough time. It was really brave of him to come back and perform today. He is in a good space at the moment," Henderson said. Tahir got better as the day went on but started with a spell that questioned whether he had made any progression at all. His first spell included too many full tosses and made use of too many variations, but he started to trouble the batsman towards the end of the day as he turned the ball a touch and zoned in on better lengths.

In complete contrast, Peterson needed no time to adjust and immediately did a good holding job. He was also the first bowler to take a wicket. "Robin is improving day by day, in terms of tactics and technically," Henderson said.

Duminy was also economical and created chances towards the end of the day, one just missing Asad Shafiq's outside edge, to endorse Peterson's claim that he is a "genuine wicket-taker." Duminy will likely bowl a significant number of overs in the Test series as South Africa groom him for greater things. "JP is now realising he can bowl and his challenge is now to become a good all-rounder," Henderson said.

With Duminy and Peterson likely to start, South Africa will have two slower bowling options but Peterson confirmed it remains a dream of his to play in an attack with Tahir: "I'd love to play in a Test match for South Africa with two specialist spinners. I love bowling with Imran and I think we work well together."

Despite equipping themselves adequately with spin, South Africa are being realistic about their prowess in that department. When asked to rate his spinners using Pakistan's as a yardstick, Henderson refused. "I won't compare my spinners to anyone else," Henderson said. "I look at a guy and see how he can become the best bowler he can be. I will not say go and be like Saeed Ajmal, because that is the standard."

Even Azhar Ali, the Pakistan No. 3, would not be drawn into talking about the two attacks. An expert blocker, both on the field and in the press conference, he merely said it was "difficult to say" how South Africa's spinners measure up but that it was "enjoyable batting against them." Read what you will into that.

It probably indicates what we all already know: that pace remains South Africa's strength, even on subcontinent-like surfaces. That's why what the fast bowlers ended up with may have had them questioning whether they will be able to get results on tracks on the tour.

Only Morne Morkel took a wicket while Dale Steyn and Vernon Philander were made to work hard. Peterson does not believe the way they performed today is a reflection of how they will do in the coming two weeks. "Dale and Vernon are quality bowlers and when they put on that Test cap and walk over the white line, that's something completely different," Peterson said.

The same has been said of Graeme Smith, who was the only South African in the top five not to score a half-century on the first day of the match. He will cross the boundary rope tomorrow to try and rectify that and show his readiness for next week's Test.


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Pawar to contest Mumbai Cricket Association elections

Sharad Pawar, the former ICC president, has filed his nomination papers for the president's post of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), the first official indication of his interest in returning to active cricket administration.

Pawar, who headed the MCA for 10 years, submitted his papers at the MCA office on Wednesday, two days before the deadline for filing nominations for the election, due on October 18. As of now, Pawar, the federal agriculture minister, has a challenger in Gopinath Munde, deputy chief of the principal opposition party in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Indian parliament. Munde, who was earlier expected to contest the vice-presidency, surprisingly filed his papers for the president's post on Tuesday. The last date for withdrawals of nominations is October 15.

Pawar's anticipated return to cricket administration is considered a significant development not only for the MCA, which is in a financial and administrative mess at the moment, but also in BCCI politics. If elected, Pawar will be eligible to sit in on BCCI meetings, despite acting president Ravi Savant being a BCCI vice-president.

As was evident during his three-year stint as the BCCI president from October 2005, Pawar has the ability to unite the board. With the muddle that the BCCI finds itself in, with president N Srinivasan deciding against standing down on grounds of propriety following his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan's alleged involvement in the IPL corruption scandal, a section within the BCCI is looking up to Pawar to return and start constructing an organised front against Srinivasan.

It is believed that lack of a candidate that could have taken on Srinivasan during last week's BCCI election resulted in Srinivasan being able to exploit the constitutional provisions and retain his seat unopposed for another year. If Pawar is elected as MCA president and can spare "some of his time regularly" over the next year, Srinivasan detractors may be able to pose a threat to his throne ahead of the next year's election.

However, for that to happen, Pawar first has to ensure that he wins the MCA elections, a field of 329 voters, and then shows inclination towards displacing his friend-turned-foe.


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Younis' ton lifts Pakistanis to 317

Pakistanis 317 (Younis 103, A Akmal 71, Raza 2-59) v United Arab Emirates
Scorecard

Younis Khan extended his good run of form with a century for the Pakistani side against the United Arab Emirates in a tour game in Abu Dhabi. The Pakistanis finished the first day of the two-day game at 317 off 86 overs, scoring runs at nearly 3.70 runs per over. The tour game is a preparatory exercise for the Pakistan side ahead of the Test series against South Africa, which starts next week.

Batting first, the Pakistanis lost Khurram Manzoor for 1, but wicketkeeper Adnan Akmal and Younis then added 188 runs for the second wicket. Akmal remained unbeaten on 71 off 136 balls with nine fours, while Younis scored 103 off 160 balls before retiring hurt.

Misbah-ul-Haq got a start, reaching 27 off 44 balls but couldn't carry on for a big score. Abdur Rehman also made a fifty, scoring 52 off 71 balls.

The spinners had most success in the UAE attack. Offspinner Nasir Aziz, left-arm spinner Ahmed Raza and right-arm slow bowler Rohan Mustafa all took two wickets apiece, with Aziz grabbing his wickets in quick succession towards the end of the Pakistani innings.


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'We can't get complacent against Australia' - Rohit

George Bailey's side may be no match for the great Australian teams of recent vintage but Rohit Sharma feels India cannot afford to take them lightly during the seven-match ODI series, given the visitors' experience of playing in Indian conditions.

"They are a very competitive side with most of their players having featured in the IPL and the Champions League," Rohit told PTI. "They know the Indian conditions well. We can't get complacent against them. Australia on a given day are a very dangerous side."

Shane Watson and Mitchell Johnson are the only two players in the Australia squad to have featured in more than 100 ODIs but Rohit refused to read too much into the relative inexperience of the others. "They are still a very competitive side," Rohit said. "Their batters are match-winners. We have to be at our best against them."

However, Rohit admitted that Australia would miss their regular captain and most experienced player Michael Clarke, whose chronic back problem has ruled him out of the series.

Following years of largely underwhelming performances in the middle order, Rohit has enjoyed success after being promoted to open the batting this year, and averages 41.42 in 16 ODIs since. However, his strike-rate in those matches dropped to 68.63 compared to a career figure of 75.61. With two new balls being used in ODIs now, Rohit said an opener had to be watchful initially.

"You need to be cautious with the new ball upfront. You have to plan your strategy accordingly. The shot selection becomes important for you as an opener, like what shots you have to play, which areas you have to go after. The new rules are more helpful to bowlers."


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CSA offer first women's contracts

Cricket South Africa will offer central contracts to their women's internationals for the first time this season.

Through the increased investment of CSA's main partner, final services provider Momentum, six players will be afforded contracts. In December 2012, the sponsorship enabled CSA to employ a full-time women's coach, Hilton Moreeng.

In a boost for the women's game, the move sees South Africa join England, Australia, West Indies and Pakistan in centrally contracting some women's internationals.

Captain Mignon du Preez, allrounders Dané van Niekerk and Marizanne Kapp, bowlers Marcia Letsoalo and Shabnim Ismail and wicketkeeper Trisha Chetty are the players to benefit in the forthcoming season.

"Momentum once again deserves to be praised for being more than just a major sponsor of cricket in South Africa," CSA chief executive Haroon Lorgat said. "Involvement is not merely investing money in cricket but goes much further through an impressive social investments programme which seeks to build a society that promotes family values and support for under-privileged cricketers."

Danie van den Bergh, head of Momentum brand, added: "I have said this on previous occasions: nothing unites our country more than success on our fields of play and the more we expose our children to the spirit of the game, the more chance we have of shaping future champions. The heroes of our future are born from the boys and girls that dream about taking to the field for real and not just during match breaks."


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'Our plan against Smith worked' - Amin

Umar Amin, the Pakistan A captain, has something useful to share with the Pakistan senior side ahead of the Tests against South Africa: how to get Graeme Smith out. It took Pakistan A just 15 deliveries to remove the opposition captain, who has been out of the game for five months and will have only one more innings before the series begins. Smith was also the only South African batsmen not to profit from time in the middle on the opening day of the three-day tour match in Sharjah.

He was dropped at first slip off Ehsan Adil in the fifth over before being trapped lbw in the seventh by the same bowler. "We planned something against him and that worked out pretty well today," Amin said. But he would not go any further. "We just wanted to set him up with a plan and I cannot really give you the plan right here."

Amin was more than willing to divulge the secret to Misbah-ul-Haq and Co. "Of course, why not? I'm a part of the senior team as well so I'll definitely give it to them," Amin said.

Because Smith's strength is on the leg side, many bowlers attack him just outside the off stump or try to square him up and he may have wanted more time in the middle to remind himself of that. Although Smith spent little more than 30 minutes at the crease, he held a long net session with coach Russell Domingo in the afternoon. Hashim Amla, who scored a fluent fifty before retiring, said with an attitude such as Smith's, there is no reason to be concerned about the South Africa captain's readiness come the first Test next Monday.

"Graeme will be fine. He is the type of guy," Amla said, before clarifying he meant that as a tongue-in-cheek comment. "He is an amazing opening batsmen and takes his practice very seriously. And there is still a second innings too."

Amla said the rest of the line-up was so satisfied with the outing they had, they would be ready to play the Test tomorrow. "I think the team is good to go, even if we started the Test match tomorrow," Amla said. "Fortunately, everybody got a bat and got some value out of it."

He explained that because many of them had had match practice in the last few months, they used today as a way to adjust to the temperatures and the pace of the pitch. He found the morning the hottest time to bat, but also the easiest, because the spinners had not been able to find any assistance by then. "It was a good batting deck and the seamers were quite nice to face early on," Amla said. "But I think it started turning towards the end of the day and it might have got a little trickier."

Although Usman Qadir, in particular, found generous turn, South Africa's batsmen played him with ease and took runs off all the slower bowlers to show their ability in that department ahead of a Test series that is expected to be headlined by spin.

Amin was not too concerned with the way his young attack was taken on, instead seeing it as a learning curve for them, and not a sign that Saeed Ajmal, Abdur Rehman and Zulfiqur Babar will suffer the same fate. "It wasn't as disappointing because the lack of experience showed," Amin said. "One of the spinners, Usman, is only 20. With the passage of time, I think he'll learn, especially after bowling against one of the best sides in the world."

The same goes for Amin as a leader, especially as he has been touted as a future Pakistan captain. "I enjoyed it, being my first outing with a senior team as a captain," Amin said. "It was a very good experience, especially captaining against some of the top players and trying to set fields according to their weaknesses and giving my bowlers some plans against them."

Not much went Pakistan A's way but the wickets of Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers would have buoyed them, especially after Amla and Alviro Petersen retired after making fifties and it appeared one-way traffic. Amin hoped they can apply themselves with more aggression with ball in hand tomorrow.

"It's definitely our plan to bat for the whole day and play with their confidence a bit and try to shake their confidence," Amin said. "This is our younger side so, if we bat all day, it will give them something to think about."


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Farbrace 'flattered' by Sri Lanka interest

Paul Farbrace had admitted he is "flattered" to have been connected with the role of Sri Lanka coach.

Farbrace, who is currently Yorkshire second XI coach, spent a couple of years as assistant coach to the Sri Lanka side between July 2007 and August 2009, and has now confirmed that he is among those talking to Sri Lanka Cricket about the possibility of succeeding Graham Ford, who leaves the post of head coach when his contract expires in January.

"It's nice to know people think I did a good enough job the last time I was there," Farbrace told ESPNcricinfo. "I think we rose to No. 2 in the Test rankings and No. 2 or 3 in the ODI rankings, so it was a successful period. We were in the final of the World T20 just before I went and the team went on to make it to the final of the World Cup, too.

"I haven't sought the job, but I have had a couple of conversations with people on the Sri Lankan cricket board who sounded out about my interest. I talk to Graham quite often, too. I informed Yorkshire of the conversations and, while I think they want to keep their current coaching group together, they have been very supportive."

Farbrace already has a strong relationship with many of the key figures in Sri Lankan cricket. But he feels his relationship with many of the players was strengthened by his experiences in Lahore in March 2009 when the team bus was attacked by heavily-armed terrorists. Farbrace, whose right arm was hit by shrapnel, was among those injured in the attack.

"I do think that when you experience something like that together, it strengthens bonds," he said. "It was a huge experience and I will be forever grateful for the way the Sri Lankan board and the players supported me when I was recovering.

"The incident had nothing to do with me going. I always felt safe in Sri Lanka - the people are wonderful - and I enjoyed my time there hugely. It's a great country, with great people and a real passion for cricket. I came very close to staying, actually. I even wrote the first letter of my name on the new contract they offered me but, in the end, the lure of being director of cricket at Kent, the club I had been with and supported as a boy, proved too strong."

Farbrace was also keen to reiterate his commitment to Yorkshire and stressed his enthusiasm for his current role. "Yorkshire is a great place to be and I'm not in any way looking to leave," he said. "In fact, the last two years have been as good as any in my career. We have a top team on and off the pitch. I'd very happily stay here for several more years and be a part a club that is going to win trophies.

"But clearly when a top international job crops up, it is interesting. We encourage players to be ambitious and it should be the same for coaches. It's good to want to do as well as you can in your career.

"I'm sure there are many talented coaches in the running for the role and these are early days. But I do have a strong affinity for Sri Lanka and it I'm very flattered to be considered for such a role."

Mark Arthur, Yorkshire's Chief Executive, said: "It is inevitable with the progress Yorkshire has made on the pitch over the last couple of years, and with the number of players representing England at all levels, that our coaches will be in the frame for international appointments, as and when positions become available."

While some reports have also linked Peter Moores, the Lancashire head coach, with the role, the club have stated that Moores is contracted to them until 2015 and they have received no approaches from third parties interested in his services.


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Twelve councillors elected BCB directors

Twelve more councillors have been elected unopposed as directors of the Bangladesh Cricket Board. As a result, there won't be any election for directorship in category 2 of councillors in the October 10 board elections.

This segment of the elections was to determine the directors from the Dhaka clubs, 58 of whom would hold voting powers as councillors. Already, seven directors have been elected unopposed from category 1, those of the districts and divisional councillors.

Enayet Hossain Siraj, Afzalur Rahman Sinha, Ahmed Iqbal Hasan, Mahbubul Anam, Jalal Yunus, Lokman Hossain Bhuiyan, Gazi Golam Mortuza, Tanzil Chowdhury, Nazmul Karim, Najib Ahmed and Shaukat Aziz are the directors-elect from the Dhaka clubs. They are also members of a panel led by Nazmul Hasan, the incumbent BCB president.

Meanwhile, Hasan has withdrawn as a councillor and has been appointed as a BCB director in the National Sports Council quota. Ismail Haider Mallick and Ahmed Sajjadul Alam are the other directors from the quota.

Three directors' position from category 1 will be contested while the only director's post in category 3 will be contested by two former Bangladesh captains, Gazi Ashraf Hossain and Khaled Mahmud.

They will be voted by 45 councillors of category 3 which consists of the educational boards, armed forces and others.


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Pitches and heat a test for SA seamers - Donald

When Allan Donald was last in the UAE, Dubai did not have a single building in the top 50 skyscrapers in the world. It also did not have a metro service, nor did it host international cricket. In 1996, Sharjah was where it all happened.

Donald was a member of the touring squad that played in the Pepsi Cup that year. He was not included in the starting XI for any of the matches so it's hardly a surprise he does not seem to remember much about the place. Instead, it makes him think of somewhere else, where he played two Tests in 1997 and where he gained experience that will come in handy for South Africa's bowlers on this tour.

"The pitches here remind me a lot of the wickets when we played in Pakistan," he said. And there, he recalls, things were not easy for fast men. "As a quick bowler. when times are tough, you have to very imaginative and you've got to be gutsy, Most importantly, the ball has to reverse."

For that reason, Donald, South Africa's bowling coach, believes South Africa will rely on Dale Steyn even more than usual. "There is no one better than him when there is an end open and when he steps up and changes gears. There is no-one better at running through a team than he is," Donald said.

When Steyn last played for South Africa, he endured an injury-riddled time at Champions Trophy in June but has since recovered from five lingering issues. Like many of the players who've had a break, Donald said the time off will have reinvigorated Steyn and made him even more determined. "He is as fresh as I have seen him. He has dealt with his niggles. He is absolutely raring to go," he said. "He is very eager and hungry to make a big impact on this series," Donald said.

With conditions set to provide a challenge to the seamers, Donald still believes the pace barrage, led by Steyn, can have an effect if they stick to a few basic principles. "The new ball will be massive," he said. "When we played in Pakistan, Bob Woolmer taught us that the best chance of getting wickets was upfront because the ball scuffs up a lot quicker so we had to make batsmen play a lot more in the first 20 overs," he said. "We have to figure out how to put a dent in the top order."

South Africa will approach Pakistan with aggression, not just upfront, but throughout the innings. "Lines have got to be straighter, we've got to hit the pitch really hard, bowl a bit fuller than normal and be prepared to sacrifice a few runs. You have to be smart because this is not a place where you can bowl back of length and expect results," he said. "Patience and discipline will be key."

Donald expects South Africa's bowlers to do all of that in temperatures that will soar close to 40 degrees while they are in the field, and he realises it is a big ask. "The extreme heat is going to be testing for us in our fitness and endurance," he admitted. "But there are no excuses. We know what standards we set for ourselves as No.1.team and if we have a bad session, there will be no blaming the conditions and the pitches."

That means the South African bowlers' biggest battle, although it would appear to be physical, is actually going to be mental. "This is the one series which will really test us as a unit because the mental intensity is going to be a big thing," Donald said.

In preparation, South Africa held a meeting on Sunday afternoon to discuss the importance of being psychologically strong enough. "We can't afford not hitting the ground running. Yesterday, Graeme and Russell [Domingo] chatted about how important it is that we don't play catch up cricket."

South Africa have been slow starters in the past but they have managed not to let it trip them up recently. In England, they appeared lethargic on day one of the Oval Test last year before going on to win the match and the series. Australia wore the bowlers down for the better parts of the Brisbane Test in November last year and if not for a day lost to rain, may have been able to win the match but it was South Africa who triumphed at the end of the series in Perth.

Gary Kirsten helped them understand that even if a session does not go their way, the possibility to go for the kill could still remain. Donald said the coach Domingo has continued to enforce the same ideas.

"We spoke about the team culture yesterday and what it means to the players," he said. "The guys have really taken to Russell in a short space of time. For us it's business as usual." And to enforce that motto, Donald need only refer to the country the team is in, where, 17 years since he was last here, business is the driving force behind all the changes he continues to marvel at.


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Rahmat, bowlers take Afghanistan closer to win

Kenya 162 and 93 for 8 (Baras 2-7, Shirzad 2-14) lead Afghanistan 234 (Rahmat 144, Aga 5-46) by 21 runs
Scorecard

Afghanistan took firm control of the Intercontinental match against Kenya in Dubai after a maiden century from Rahmat Shah and quick wickets by their bowlers. With two days left, they are now in touching distance of a win with Kenya only 21 runs ahead with their last two wickets remaining.

Sixteen wickets had fallen on the first day and 12 went down on the second, most of them in quick succession. But the difference between the situation of the two teams was due to a 122-run stand for the seventh wicket between Rahmat and Mohammad Nasim Baras. Rahmat, who had only one half-century in first-class cricket before this match, did the bulk of the scoring and went past the 100-mark for the first time in his career. He got ample support from Baras who played out 125 deliveries for his 32 in the partnership.

Once the stand was broken, the remaining batsmen didn't survive for long. Rahmat was the last batsman to be dismissed after scoring 144, that included five sixes, but his innings had ensured an important 72-run lead.

Kenya's second innings started the same way as their first: they lost their first two wickets within the first four overs and never recovered from that position. Their innings never really got going as the Afghanistan bowlers made regular strikes to put the team within sight of a huge win. Collins Obuya was the top-scorer in the innings with only 16 as four bowlers picked up a couple of wickets each.


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Warner ordered to play grade cricket

David Warner has been handed a suspended one-match ban by New South Wales and ordered to play the next three grade matches for his club Randwick Petersham after skipping their most recent fixture for a private training session and an afternoon at the races.

After meeting with the NSW chief executive Andrew Jones on Tuesday morning, Warner was informed that he had avoided the ignominy of another suspension - he was ruled out of the first two Ashes Tests earlier this year for punching the England batsman Joe Root in a Birmingham bar - but was reminded of the importance of grade competition by the instruction that he must play in the next three games, the Blues; domestic limited overs schedule permitting.

Warner must also visit two other Sydney clubs to promote the state association's anti-drink driving sponsorship message. Following the outcome of his meeting with Jones, Warner conceded he should not have defied NSW orders to play for his club. "I believed I was doing the right thing by focusing on my training and batting, but in hindsight I should have played," Warner said. "I remain determined to score runs for NSW and Australia and am also looking forward to taking the field for Randy-Petes this round. "

Jones levied the penalty after speaking with all parties concerned, including NSW team management, Randwick Petersham officials and Warner's manager Tony Connelly. While another episode in Warner's year of misadventure, the meeting was an early test of Jones as the state's new CEO, having replaced David Gilbert.

"This has been an unfortunate episode," Jones said. "Like most cricket fans, I and all at Cricket NSW would like nothing more than to see David Warner achieve his potential on and off the field. However, in order to do this David needs to ensure that he is doing the right things and working closely with the organisation in all areas. We believe the suspended sentence demonstrates our good faith and gives David the opportunity to prove his commitment to NSW's fans and stakeholders, including the Grade clubs. We are hopeful that this is the last incident of this nature so that David and Cricket NSW can focus solely on cricket for the remainder of the season."

Irrespective of his disciplinary record, Warner's most pressing concern now is finding a way to return to strong run-making form, having recorded innings of four and a duck in the Blues' two limited overs matches so far.


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SL govt denies heavy cricket funding

Sri Lanka's sports ministry has denied that it is preparing to disburse Rs. 389 million to Sri Lanka Cricket for development of cricket facilities outside the main centres. The figure (approx US$ 2.96 million) was first reported in the Sunday Times and confirmed to ESPNcricinfo by SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga, but the sports ministry's spokesperson told this reporter that the sum is actually closer to Rs. 30 million (approx US 228,000).

"The sports ministry can't give that kind of money to just one sport," Harsha Abeykoon, the sports ministry spokesperson, said. "The amount is more likely to be around 30 million. We are currently in the process of giving away Rs 100 million to sports, particularly to those representing us in the Commonwealth and Asian Games, and cricket will get a portion of that. That money will go towards developing facilities and providing equipment to schools."

Ranatunga, however, said that SLC made a special request to the ministry for a grant amounting to Rs 389 million, and that the sports minister "was quite keen" to grant the sum, although it had not yet been officially confirmed. He said the funds would be directed towards building turf pitches, which are almost non-existent outside major cities. New matting pitches and improvements to practice facilities in rural schools would also be covered by the grant.

Ranatunga had told the Sunday Times that the prospect of drawing foreign teams to Sri Lanka during their off seasons also featured in the board's decision to apply for the grant. "We are very fortunate that in the Indian sub-continent, there is an opportunity of playing the game right through year barring rain. As a result of the time restrictions in these [foreign] countries, there is a huge influx of teams arriving in the island to indulge in the game during their off seasons.

"So if we could offer better facilities in the outstations, it would be a boon to the economies even in those areas. When a team arrives to play cricket in Sri Lanka there is a big contingent of tourists that arrive and they spend for their hotel bookings."


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Walton cautious about Test return

Chadwick Walton has played two Tests for West Indies, but you probably don't know. When he did play those Tests, you either didn't care or were too disgusted with the way things were going in West Indies cricket. It was in 2009 when the first-choice West Indies players went on a strike, and a host of lesser players lost two Tests against Bangladesh. The crowds stayed away; at worst the team was seen as an establishment eleven, at best they were lambs to the slaughter. When the pay dispute was resolved, out went most of the replacement players, Walton being one of them, with 10 catches and 13 runs to his name.

Four years on, Walton is back, not as a there-is-no-alternative. "I didn't realise it was four years," Walton says. "It's always a good feeling. I have been doing a lot of work to come back to international level. I hope this time I can put up a better show."

Walton is a man of a few words. He doesn't want to talk too much about those troubled days. He sees it as a case of selectors' calling him up and his answering the call. He says it was all normal: the team atmosphere, and the relationship with players who had struck work. He admits to one thing, though - he probably wasn't ready back then. And it wasn't his age; he was 24. But it was the timing of the call.

"It came as a surprise," he says. "It was sudden. It was very shocking." Was he ready for the Test debut then? "I would tend to lean to the no side."

Now Walton has enough time to be ready to be part of a normal Test squad. What do you mean normal, he asks. "I can't compare with any other. I haven't been there since. I have nothing to compare it with."

That Test series was an eye opener, Walton says. Now he can joke about it, though. "The most challenging cricket I have played? Has to be playing with my niece. She get me out all the time because she makes the rules as she goes."

Apart from trying to become more consistent with the bat, Walton has spent the last four years trying to add a masters in sports science and marketing to his undergraduate degree in accounting. If he doesn't want to talk about if others were bitter towards him when he agreed to play for West Indies during the strike, he doesn't betray a sense of hurt at being left out either. "I always support what the selectors put out. If the selectors say we want to go with the same players, I support what they put out."

Walton, now the understudy to Denesh Ramdin on the tour of India, clearly supports what the selectors have put out, but is he ready? "You never know if you are ready," he says.


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The best I've bowled in three months - Harbhajan

Mumbai Indians offspinner Harbhajan Singh, whose figures of 4 for 32 won him the Man-of-the-Match award and helped Mumbai claim their second Champions League title, said the over in which he took three wickets was the best spell he had bowled in recent months.

Harbhajan came into the tournament with little practice, having not played a competitive match since the IPL. He was not included in any of India A's recent squads. In a high-scoring final against Rajasthan Royals in Delhi, Harbhajan came on to bowl his final over with Royals requiring 48 off the last four overs with seven wickets in hand. Harbhajan struck with the first ball, removing the set Ajinkya Rahane for 65, caught at deep midwicket. Three balls later, with the pressure mounting on Royals for boundaries, Stuart Binny looked to slog a quicker one from Harbhajan and lost his leg stump.

After conceding a boundary the following ball to Kevon Cooper, Harbhajan hit back off the final ball, beating Cooper who looked to play across the line but failed to spot the straighter one. Cooper didn't to drag his back foot behind the line and Dinesh Karthik completed a sharp stumping. Three wickets went down for just four runs in the space of six balls and the match had turned firmly in Mumbai's favour.

"I'm happy with the way I finished, although I didn't practice at all," Harbhajan said at the post-match presentation. "I was travelling to the US but I didn't practice much before this but I'm really happy with the way I have finished this tournament. I think that over where I took three wickets was probably the best over I've bowled in the last three months."

Chasing 203, the Royals were in the hunt via a second-wicket stand of 109 between Sanju Samson and Rahane, who both scored 60s. Royals captain Rahul Dravid too felt that Harbhajan's spell had turned the match.

"We saw some really great batting and we saw some good skills with the ball as well, from the spinners and it was a close game right till the end," Dravid said. "I thought the couple of overs when Harbhajan Singh got four wickets for eight or nine runs probably turned the game on its head."

Incidentally, Harbhajan had starred in Mumbai's previous title win in 2011 as well, his 3 for 20 winning him the Man-of-the-Match award against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai.

"This is probably the second time and I am getting the Man of the Match in the final," he said. "Hopefully few more. I'm looking forward to the Duleep Trophy and the long season up ahead for India."


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Rohit praises Mumbai's character

Mumbai Indians secured their second trophy in a year as they beat Rajasthan Royals in the final of the Champions League T20. However, a much fancied side, considering the talent on hand, only had one trophy to their credit prior to winning the Indian Premier League this year and captain Rohit Sharma admitted they were feeling the pinch.

"It wasn't easy, there was a lot of pressure when we started the IPL and again when we started the Champions League," he said. "There were a lot of expectations and I think we held our nerve well. We showed a lot of character in the tournament and in the end the results favoured what we wanted."

Mumbai posted a daunting total courtesy a solid start from Dwayne Smith, who has been one of their most dependable players throughout the CLT20, and a blistering finish from Glenn Maxwell, who had come in for this game in place of Mitchell Johnson, and slammed 37 in 14 balls. Royals' chase was looking promising with Sanju Samson and Ajinkya Rahane motoring along, but Harbhajan Singh rewrote the script, just as he had done in Mumbai's successful 2011 Champions League, picking up three wickets in the 17th over to seal Royals' fate.

"It was a really great start by Smithy and then Maxy finished off pretty well and everybody chipped in," Rohit said. "And from their side Samson and Ajju [Rahane] really played very well. It was a nail-biting game and that was what we were expecting in the final. We always love playing Champions League. As the name suggests, every team here is a champion and winning this is like the icing on the cake."

Rahul Dravid, the Royals captain, was also highly impressed with the mettle shown by Samson and Rahane, whose 109-run partnership off only 67 balls gave Royals a chance.

"How good were Ajinkya Rahane and Sanju Samson in that partnership?" he said. "All credit to Mumbai Indians, I think they were the deserving winners tonight. They played better cricket in the crunch situations towards the last five-six overs in both the innings but a terrific effort from the team. Everyone really fought hard and specially Sanju and Ajinkya today were excellent along with PT [Pravin Tambe] in the bowling department.

Taking the field for the last time in limited-overs cricket, Dravid was overwhelmed by the adulation he received, both from the Delhi crowd and from the two sides. "I'd just like to thank the players of both teams today, Mumbai Indians and my team and this fantastic crowd here for the ovation they gave me. It was really touching and I'm really grateful for the way they came out and supported me, stood up and cheered and it was really emotional."


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CCS, KCA record wins in rain-affected round

Cricket Coaching School finally got a win under their belt in the Dhaka Premier League. They beat by 45 runs on Saturday, a day after the match began and due to rain interruptions at the Shaheed Chandu Stadium in Bogra on Friday.

Batting first on Friday, CCS made 213 for 9 in 40 overs, with Farveez Maharoof scoring 57 off 35 balls after having endured four breaks in play due to bad weather.

Maharoof struck six fours and three sixes, having arrived at the crease with his team in usual trouble at 85 for 5. He added 44 for the sixth wicket with Asif Ahmed and another 65 for the seventh wicket with Nazmul Hossain Milon. Khelaghar captain Faisal Hossain took four wickets with his left-arm spin.

In reply, Khelaghar were held to 172 for 7, with Amit Kumar taking three wickets and Asif, two. Faisal's 31 was the highest score of the innings. They are now the only team not to win a single game.

Kalabagan Cricket Academy picked up their third win in the competition, defeating Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by six wickets. It was another two-day affair after rain halted play on Friday at the BSKP-3 ground.

Batting first, Dhanmondi made 205 for 8 after the game was reduced to 34 overs a side. Gulbadin Naib blasted an unbeaten 99 off 68 balls with six fours and eight sixes. He was batting on 79 when Talha Jubair came in to bowl the last over. He hammered a four and two sixes, but got only two off the last two deliveries to miss out on a second List A hundred.

But KCA's Hamilton Masakadza upended his effort, with another match-winning effort. The Zimbabwean batsman struck seven sixes and six boundaries in his 93 off 71 balls. He was well supported by Abdul Majid, who was unbeaten on 59.

The match between Brothers Union and Kalabagan Krira Chakra was abandoned at the Fatullah Cricket Stadium. After rain completely scuppered played on Friday, KKC made 148 for 5 in 25 overs after play started at 1:00pm on Saturday.

Brothers Union were set 154 to win under the Duckworth/Lewis method. They were 86 for 2 at the end of the 16th over when a final bout of rain marred the proceedings.


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Williamson frustrated after warm-up game abandoned

Kane Williamson expressed his and New Zealand's disappointment after the practice match between New Zealanders and Bangladesh Cricket Board XI was abandoned due to a very wet outfield.

"It is very frustrating," Williamson said. "The boys have come off quite a bit of cricket, they have played a bit in Sri Lanka previously. It would have been really nice to play the match but it wasn't to be."

The umpires made the decision to call of play at 9.45am local time, 15 minutes after play was scheduled to start on Saturday at the MA Aziz Stadium, after bouts of overnight and early morning rain had submerged parts of the ground. The BCB XI squad left a few hours later, while the visitors had to shift base to the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium's indoor facilities once again.

"It is not ideal. It is a shame not to get a practice match, but we have a few days to train and prepare accordingly. You get thrown these curve balls at times, but you have to deal with them. It is no excuse for us. We have to prepare well in the next few days."

Williamson, who scored for 403 at an average for 50.37 for Yorkshire in the County Championship's First Division, is one of the three members of the New Zealand ODI side that lost 4-0 to Bangladesh in 2010. He was one of their better performers, scoring his first international century during the series.

"It was nice to spend some time in the middle there. But having said that, I haven't played a Test series here and neither have a lot of the boys. So it will be a good experience.

"We have been doing a lot of talking, particularly about the opposition and conditions over here. We are trying to simulate all those things and move our game forward.

"It is a tough place to bat, and something that I have to get used to. I am touring the world, playing in all different types of conditions. Bangladesh is certainly different than what we are used to."

That difference in playing conditions will take a little more time to adjust as it is likely that they will continue to train indoors for another day. The relayed surface at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium is undergoing last-minute work, and as a result, they have been given just a short period of time to warm-up at the first Test venue.

Head curator Zahid Reza Babu has prepared two wickets for the Test, and both haven't had a ball bowled on them after the relay. The previous Test played here was in December 2011, after which the ground went for a complete overhaul of its outfield and playing square.


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Smith puts Mumbai in all-IPL final

Mumbai Indians 157 for 4 (Smith 59, Narine 3-17) beat Trinidad & Tobago 153 for 5 (Lewis 62, Ottley 41*) by six wickets
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details

Dwayne Smith and Sachin Tendulkar provided the searing start that set Mumbai Indians on course for a second Champions League T20 final in three years, a final which will now be an all-IPL affair. Smith bludgeoned 59 from 38 as the pair made 90 together in 11 overs, in pursuit of T&T's middling 153 for 5. Though the openers' demise in the space of an over comprised a stutter, they had done enough to ensure the middle order could see out the dangerous Sunil Narine, and complete a straightforward victory, made easier by the injury to Rayad Emrit, who hurt his shoulder in the first over.

Nathan Coulter-Nile had earlier been instrumental in subduing T&T, who had their own blazing start courtesy Evin Lewis' 46-ball 62. Coulter-Nile conceded only 20 in his four overs, in which he also took one wicket, while both Kieron Pollard and Pragyan Ojha also took one apiece and gave away less than a run a ball in their three-over spells.

Smith bludgeoned one back past the bowler and struck one sweetly in front of point to begin his onslaught, in the second over, and then, having ambled to three off seven balls, Tendulkar found form for the first time in the tournament. A crisp straight drive on the up off Rampaul was a throwback to his heyday, but the slog over long-on and a back-away inside-out drive that yielded consecutive sixes soon after were more a product of the present age than a bygone one.

The pair took 49 runs from the Powerplay, but even the onset of spin only brought a slight dip in the run rate, as they were only made to deal with one over from Sunil Narine, even as they took the game away from T&T. Tendulkar crossed the 50,000-run aggregate for recognised cricket across all formats in the eighth over, to the crowd's delight, while Smith doled out boundaries fashioned from power and touch in equal measure.

Tendulkar was caught behind for 35 from 31, before Narine struck twice in the following over, to give rise to T&T hopes, but Mumbai needed only 58 runs from the last eight overs, and Dinesh Karthik's unbeaten 33 ensured not even Narine would derail the chase. A six over extra cover off Lendl Simmons off the first ball of the 20th over sealed the victory.

Lewis' first boundary in T&T's innings was off a Mitchell Johnson edge through second slip, but he slapped the next one over the third-man boundary and rarely erred again until his demise. Lewis took a liking to Johnson's next over as well, carving two off side boundaries off it, but though Darren Bravo's early strokeplay suggested he too had the Mumbai attack's measure, he walked past Pragyan Ojha's legside wide to have himself stumped for 14.

Having hit 61 off the first eight overs, T&T slowed significantly against Ojha, Coulter-Nile and Pollard, who bowled tight lines and mixed up their pace to good effect on a dry Delhi surface. Yannick Ottley's unbeaten 41 off 30 pushed T&T beyond 150, which seemed a competitive total despite the mediocre returns from the middle overs, but with one bowler down and the remaining quicks far from their best on the night, T&T could not deny the IPL champions.


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SLC seeks funds from expatriates in Europe

Sri Lanka Cricket is looking to the expatriate community in Europe for development funds, SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga said, after the board appointed a representative in the region on Friday.

United Kingdom resident and textile tycoon Sarath Abeysundara was tasked with raising money for district and school cricket in Europe, and SLC is hopeful he will ease the burden on SLC's stretched domestic budget.

"Mr. Abeysundara's job is to try and help the board build relationships with the Sri Lankans living in Europe and to raise funds for developments in districts and schools," Ranatunga said. "We've told him to come up with a few options on how he would raise funds for SLC, which he was very keen to do. He has raised funds for SLC before, which we were aware of."

Ranatunga said Abeysundara had links to county team Leicestershire and served on SLC's foreign committee in the UK - one of several of the board's outposts abroad. He is also an elected member of SLC's sponsorship committee, under whose purview the assignment falls.


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