February 13, 2009
News – PCB looks into Oval Test again
February 1, 2009
News – ICC does U-turn on 2006 Oval Test result
January 30, 2009
News – PCB to resist reversing Oval Test result
October 30, 2008
News – Former PCB chief cautions ICC over reversing Oval Test result
October 29, 2008
News – PCB await ICC’s reaction on Oval Test result
News – Morgan calls Oval Test reversal ‘inappropriate’
October 26, 2008
News – 2006 Oval Test still a forfeit for MCC
July 12, 2008
News – MCC secretary not in favour of altered result
July 5, 2008
News – Holding quits ICC cricket committee
July 3, 2008
News – ICC changes Oval forfeiture to draw
January 11, 2008
News – Pakistan want forfeited Test to be overturned
February 25
News – Hair drops charges against Pakistan board
November 5
News – Ranatunga endorses Hair’s removalNovember 4
News – Hair banned from officiating in internationals
News – Ponting backs under-fire Hair
October 31
News – Senate probes Oval Test forfeitureOctober 16
Audio – RoundTable: Ball-tampering – Is there a permanent fix?
October 11
News – England gives Pakistan until the end of October to settle
News – PCB formally rejects England’s compensation claim
October 9
News – PCB official resigns as turmoil continues
News – Inzamam ‘has lost confidence of senior officials’ – Zaheer Abbas
October 8
News – Technicality rules Inzamam out of tournament
October 6
News – Shaharyar Khan resigns from PCB
News – Pakistan board rejects England compensation claim
October 5
News – Speed backs Hair to stand again
Exclusive – Let’s get back to the Spirit of Cricket – Speed
October 3
Comment – Tim de Lisle: The telly factor
October 2
News – MCC considers change to the Laws
News – ICC hearing has hurt world cricket – Benaud
News – Rameez outburst ‘sparked protest’
October 1
News – England to ask Pakistan to pay for Oval damages
Osman Samiuddin – More than an inconvenient truth
September 30
News – Umpires must not be allowed to play God – Boycott
News – Australian umpires consider unionisation
September 29
News – Madugalle wants more diplomacy
News – ‘I forgive Hair’ – Inzamam
Osman Samiuddin – Justice still awaits
News – Security not an issue – BCCI
September 28
Sambit Bal – All’s well that ends well?
News – PCB considers disrepute charge against Hair
Profile – Nerves of steel and a heart of flint
Martin Williamson – ICC explanation lacks credibility
News – Hair never considered retirement
News – Hair out of Champions Trophy
Document – Full text of decision on ICC Code of Conduct hearing involving Inzamam-ul-Haq
News – Inzamam cleared of ball-tampering
September 27
News – Inzamam decision expected on Thursday
Osman Samiuddin – Making sense out of chaos
Timeline – Fourth Test controversy
September 26
Exclusive – Indian board opposes Hair standing in Champions Trophy
Exclusive – Umpires disagreed over timing of ball change
September 25
News – Zaheer Abbas blames ‘internal politics’ for removal
News – Inzamam prepares for ICC hearings
September 22
News – Zaheer Abbas not to appear at ICC hearing
News – Waqar says nothing was wrong with Oval ball
September 20
News – Hair set for swift umpiring return
September 12
News – Hair hits out at charges of racism
September 6
News – ICC consider use of forensic tests
September 4
News – Angry Speed issues warning to Inzamam
September 1
News – Sutherland supports “outstanding” Hair
August 31
News – Australia’s umpires panel seem interested in Hair
News – Indian board for curtailment of umpires’ powers
August 30
News – Match referee could rule on forfeits in future
News – ICC confirms Pakistan request for Hair investigation
News – Hair in ‘big trouble’ – Inzamam
August 29
News – Hair apologises for email
News – Pakistan wants Hair investigation before Inzamam hearing
Bob Woolmer – At the right place at the wrong time
August 28
News – Sonn cancels executive board meeting
News – Holding on ‘first-world hypocrisy’
News – Lack of video evidence not a concern – Reid
Surfer – Speed burns Hair at the stake
August 27
News – Hair hits back at the ICC
News – Hair’s career may be over – Speed
News – Speed ‘wasn’t prepared to lie’
Surfer – The drama and the crisis
August 26
News – Inzamam hearing due end of September
News – Pakistan have earned a moral victory – Zaheer
Surfer – Emails cast Hair into the wilderness
News – ECB abandon contingency plans
Anand Vasu – Doctrove into the spotlight
Exclusive – Dar defends Hair’s original decision
August 25
News – Hair offered to quit for $500,000
News – Sonn: Pakistan tour goes ahead
Statement from Darrell Hair
Emails – Full transcripts of email conversations between Hair, Doug Cowie and Malcolm Speed
Andrew Miller – Another noxious whiff of scandal
News – Jarman exposes Woolmer in ball-tampering incident
Reaction – Players give their views
Surfer – ‘The ICC should get rid of Hair’
August 24
Martin Williamson – Speed flies in for emergency talks
News – ECB makes contingency plans
Osman Samiuddin – Pakistan board under heavy criticism
News – Pakistan’s ‘focus is now on cricket’
Osman Samiuddin – Woolmer denies rift
John Stern – A whiff of scandal whets the appetite
Surfer – Inzamam does not need further punishment
August 23
News – Inzamam hearing delay means tour goes on
News – Hair vows to carry on
News – Speed supports Hair and Doctrove
News – ‘Scrap the ball-tampering law’ – Woolmer
News – Pakistan appoint top lawyer to defend Inzamam
Andrew Miller – Bring the dark arts into the light
Surfer – Oval debacle makes front page in US
August 22
Comment – What went on behind the scenes?
News – BCCI side with ICC
News – English authorities face £400,000 loss
News – Tour match in doubt as row rumbles on
Quotes – Woolmer: “There’s room for reason”
News – England deny Fletcher claims
Australian paper round – Waugh backs Hair’s decision
News – Hair and Doctrove were right, says Taufel
Tim de Lisle – Over-reacting to an over-reaction
August 21
Cricinfo exclusive – ‘It’s about respect’ – Inzamam
Martin Williamson – Troubled times ahead
Osman Samiuddin – No easy answers
Andrew Miller – What a horrible mess
News – PCB chairman attacks Hair
News – Pakistan could face further charges
Quotes – Pakistan back at a deserted Oval
Reaction – Former Pakistani players back Inzamam
Feedback – Readers respond
Surfer – The Oval debacle
Timeline – A hair-raising past
Timeline – A recent history of ball tampering
August 20
News – Pakistan forfeit Test amid farcical scenes
Updates – As the chaos unfolded
News – Joint statement from ECB, PCB, ICC
Osman Samiuddin – Pakistan deny charges of ball-tampering

It’s been ten years since Brian Lara played in Jaipur and things havecertainly changed at the Sawai Man Singh Stadium. Observing the face-liftat the ground, one of the journalists remembered the horror years – in the ’90s,when pressmen were locked inside the media area, to prevent fans fromforcing themselves into the zone. The door used to be opened only during thebreaks and, just in case you had the bad luck of ending up with anupset tummy, you were doomed.Going by the indications from the Rajasthan Cricket Association, nobody isgoing to be jailed tomorrow. Worryingly, there aren’t expected to be toomany people dying to get into the stadium when West Indies and Bangladeshclash to qualify for the main draw of the Champions Trophy. Bangladeshshowed a lot of promising signs in their opening game against Sri Lankabut tomorrow they’d need that and much more.Going by Dav Whatmore’s assessment, the pitch here is likely to behave like a SriLankan sandpit. “It certainly looks different than the one at Mohali. I’mnot sure of the history here – there hasn’t been a lot of history in thisoval – and I’m not sure if it will have the same amount of bounce. I’malso not sure about amount of turn in the pitch.” Of the nine ODIs here,five have been won by the team chasing, including the lastgame when Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s unbeaten 183 helped India hunt down299. A factor that would play a role tomorrow is the dew but, consideringthat it’s the first game under lights, one can only wait and watch.The toss may not matter too much for West Indies – considering the mightof their batting line-up – but it’s the fitness of their players thatremained a worry. Ramnaresh Sarwan and Runako Morton – who had suffered aviral fever in Mohali – hadn’t yet recovered while Dwayne Smith, whoincurred the same problem here, missed the net session on match eve. ImranKhan, the media manager, stressed that none of them had been ruled out,adding that missing the nets is no indication of availability for thematch. Bangladesh used three left-arm spinners in the previous game andthey could serve them well if the track starts to take some turn tomorrow.

Not only do West Indies need to win but also need to do so emphatically.Well, finishing the game even before the lights came on – as they didwhile whipping Zimbabwe at Ahmedabad – might have been stretching it toofar but Lara reiterated the need to win with handicaps. “If you playagainst a team lower ranked than yourselves, you must be able to giveyourself a handicap,” he added. “Bangladesh can play very good cricket butit’s important that we win emphatically, it’s important that we put thedistance between them and us. It’s not about chasing down a target in acertain number of overs or anything, just that you would know when you’reforcing yourself on the opposition. That’s what we’re looking to dotomorrow.”But is anyone going to watch? The Rajasthan Cricket Association decided toprovide an incentive for viewers. They sold three tickets in combination,for the two qualifying games along with the India-England game, and pricedit at the same rate as one (almost equivalent to buy one, get two free).Unfortunately it didn’t work and they finally began selling India-Englandsingle tickets today, which ended up being lapped up like hot cakes. Thereseems to be only one solution to eliminate the risk of empty stands. Turnback the clock, replace pressmen with public and lock them inside thestadium for a day. And just to cover all bases, don’t even provide thebreak for lunch.Teams (probable)1 Chris Gayle, 2 Shivnarine Chanderpaul, 3 Runako Morton, 4 Brian Lara(capt), 5 Ramnaresh Sarwan (vice-cap) 6 Dwayne Bravo, 7 Marlon Samuels, 8Wavell Hinds, 9 Carlton Baugh (wk), 10 IDR Bradshaw, 11 Jerome Taylor.1 Shahriar Nafees, 2 Mohammad Ashraful, 3Aftab Ahmed, 4 Saqibul Hasan, 5Habibul Bashar (capt), 6 Farhad Reza, 7 Khaled Mashud (wk), 8 MohammadRafique, 9 Mashrafe Mortaza, 10 Abdur Razzak, 11 Syed Rasel.

It’s a myth that’s been doing the rounds for while. It’s one that’s built on a notion that New Zealand raise their game against Australia, that they develop an extra cladding of steel when faced with their rivals from across the Tasman Sea. For a few weeks, at the end of 2001 and start of 2002, there seemed to be some truth in it, when Stephen Fleming and his men ousted Australia from their own VB Series finals. But in the four years hence, there was just one team upping their intensity in these contests, and it wasn’t New Zealand.If you’re a numbers man, you might just be tempted to laugh at the thought of a contest. In the last 17 games, starting with the final match of the aforementioned VB Series, Australia have pocketed 15. Barring the firstgame of the Chappell-Hadlee Trophy in 2004, when New Zealand’slower-order sneaked a tight chase, and the latestclash in December last year, when they sensationally hunted down 332,it’s been aflogging. Australia have romped home by a margin of 40 runs or more onseven occasions. Enough said.Things began looking up again late last year, though, when two of three games in the Chappell-Hadlee series went right down to the wire. New Zealand, as always, start as underdogs but they possess a spearhead who’s troubled Australia in the past, a lower-order that’s often thwarted them, and a captain who’s out-thought them on a few occasions. Shane Bond’s fitness, which is set to be assessed later today, will be crucial. In the six games against Australia, he’s knocked over 22 wickets. He averages a stunning 10.45 and has been part of a winning side in three of the six clashes.Ricky Ponting, who’s almost his bunny after falling six times in six games, knew the enormity of the threat but wasn’t concentrating on Bond alone. “He does the role that Brett Lee does for us,” he said, “and he’s got an unbelievable strike-rate in one-day cricket. He’s also got a very good record against Australia. But having said that Kyle Mills has had a good time in the Champions Trophy – think he’s taking 6 for 80 in this series – and the conditions were suit that style of bowling. We’ve spoken about those two to get our plans in tact.”The pitch set to be used for the game is the same one where Makhaya Ntini enacted his war-dance against Pakistan. Both captains didn’t think it would be as lively but both admitted that fast bowlers could be the key. Ponting spoke about Brad Hogg, the chinaman bowler, being in the mix but the nature of the surface could just mean that they go ahead with an unchanged side. New Zealand will be wary of Brett Lee – who’s managed 36 wickets against them at 19.77 – and a batting line-up that’s beginning tolook ominous.Barring Fleming and the injured Scott Styris, New Zealand have worries at the top. Their lower order, though, has often turned into their strength and Ponting admitted that they needed a plan against a bunch who plundered 99 off the last ten overs against Pakistan. “We have to have to look at those guys – McCullum, Oram, Vettori,” he continued, “who’re dangerous hitters at the end. We did come unstuck in the last Chappell-Hadlee game we played after they got 332. We need to come up with the right strategy, rightfield placements to restrict those guys at the end.”But did his side have any weaknesses that New Zealand could exploit? Patcame the classic Aussie reply: “None”.Teams (likely)Australia 1 Shane Watson, 2 Adam Gilchrist (wk), 3 Ricky Ponting(capt), 4 Damien Martyn, 5 Michael Clarke, 6 Andrew Symonds, 7 MichaelHussey, 8 Brett Lee, 9 Mitchell Johnson, 10 Nathan Bracken, 11 GlennMcGrath.New Zealand 1 Lou Vincent, 2 Stephen Fleming (capt), 3 NathanAstle, 4 Peter Fulton, 5 Hamish Marshall, 6 Jacob Oram, 7 Brendon McCullum(wk), 8 Daniel Vettori, 9 James Franklin, 10 Shane Bond, 11 Kyle Mills.

It may have been for all intents and purposes a picnic game to open the Australian tour, but England were probably looking for a more decisive victory than the one they scored yesterday. England defeated the ACB Chairman’s XI by one run on the final ball of a match watched at the Lilac Hill ground in outer Perth by a capacity crowd of about 11000.Simon Katich, captain of the Chairman’s XI, which included retired Test players Dennis Lillee, Bruce Reid and Graeme Wood alongside Victorian batsman Matthew Elliott and eight Western Australian players, won the toss and sent England into bat. Mike Atherton showed that does still have some value as a limited-over batsman, scoring 88 before falling to a brilliant diving catch by an airborne Katich at extra cover. Alec Stewart made 74 on a ground where he played club cricket for Midland-Guildford in the eighties. Another ex-Midland-Guildford batsman, John Crawley scored 64 from 50 balls. England’s innings ended at 296 for 5.Forty-nine year-old Dennis Lillee conceded 0/22 from his six overs. Bruce Reid, carrying more weight than in his playing days, dismissed Mark Butcher to take 1/19 from his seven overs.Ryan Campbell (74) and Mike Hussey (32), both fringe players for Australian selection, got the Chairman’s XI off to a brisk start. Campbell’s runs came from just 60 balls including eight fours and three sixes. While the run rate remained high throughout the Chairman’s XI innings, wickets fell regularly. With one ball of the 50th over remaining, the ACB side needed two runs for victory, tailender Jo Angel facing Darren Gough. Angel was short of his ground attempting a quick single as Gough removed the bails at the bowlers end and England had won the game.Gough was best of England’s bowlers, taking 2/40 from his ten overs. Alex Tudor, playing his first game for a senior England side, took 3/62 from his ten.England have named a Test-strength team for the opening first-class match of the tour, against Western Australia beginning on Saturday.The team is:Alec Stewart (capt), Nasser Hussain, Mark Butcher, Michael Atherton, Graham Thorpe, Mark Ramprakash, John Crawley, Dominic Cork, Robert Croft, Darren Gough, Angus Fraser, Alan Mullally

The finger injury that Mahendra Singh Dhoni sustained might hamper him when he walks out to bat on Saturday, but he was confident that India could save the Kingsmead Test and head to Cape Town still 1-0 up in the series. And according to him, even victory wasn’t impossible, given that India needed a further 316 runs from the 97 overs scheduled for the final day.”It’s evenly poised,” he said, speaking after the fourth day’s play. “But we must keep in mind that this is the second Test of the series, and so far, neither side has managed to score 300 runs in a day’s play. The weather will also be a factor.”We have not had 90 overs of play on a single day in this match. As a team, we are looking forward to tomorrow’s play. We will stay positive. We’ll see how the situation is at tea time. What we do after that depends on what position the team is in at that point. The way we bat till tea will be very important.”Mark Boucher’s assertion that South Africa were confident of rolling over the Indians inside two sessions drew a brusque response – “If I was a South African cricketer, I wouldn’t say that we would bowl India out inside 50 overs” – and Dhoni emphasised that India wouldn’t approach the situation defensively. “Can we survive? Why not? It’s a fair enough wicket. If you can keep the good balls out, it should make for a good day’s cricket. We’re not merely looking at saving the Test or defending.”He was less positive about the bruising on the right middle finger, which caused him to grimace on more than one occasion out in the field. “I can’t show it to you,” he said with a big grin. “The good news is that it’s not broken. I’m in a position to bat, and there are still three days to go before the next Test.”He was candid when asked about his shot selection throughout the course of this series. “In this match, the shot I played in the first innings [which gave Mornè Morkel a first Test wicket] could have been avoided,” he said. “If I cut out the cover drive, I will be in a position to score more for the team.”He also refused to be too critical when asked about Virender Sehwag’s fallow run, which continued today with his dismissal for 8. “It’s part and parcel of the game,” he said. “With the new Kookaburra ball, there have been one or two early breakthroughs in every innings. A lean patch happens to everyone. If you get a good ball, you get out. There’s no pressure on the middle order because one batsman fails. It depends on how the toporder shapes up as a group.”If they don’t shape up on Saturday, a series that started with Cinderella-like success at the Wanderers might just end up looking like the ugly sister’s face.

Anil Kumble has happy memories of the Wanderers, and he urged his team-mates to be positive – “Let’s forget about the one-day series” – in the build-up to the first Test which starts on Friday. Back in November 1992, Kumble was a young man on his way back from the wilderness, and a stupendous second-innings display, 44-22-53-6, more or less sealed his place in the side for the best part of the next decade.”Personally, I’ve had a good tour whenever I’ve come here,” said Kumble, speaking to the media after another long net session on Tuesday. With 31 wickets from his nine Tests here, Kumble will be one of the men South Africa worry about the most, but he was almost anxious to shy away from talk of the individual. “It’s important that we play well collectively as a team,” he said. “It’s always a great atmosphere here at the Wanderers, and it will be a good Test series. The boys are geared up.”According to him, the 4-0 defeat in the one-day series was a page from the past, and he was confident that the team had the quality to bounce back over the three Tests. “If you look back at the West Indies tour, we won the Tests after we had an ordinary one-day series,” he said. “And inPakistan, we didn’t do too well in the Tests, but came back in the one-day games.”Not many gave us a chance when we toured Australia last time. Everyone said we would lose 4-0, and that turned out to be one of the best series we’ve ever played. The conditions here are pretty similar to Australia. When you look back at how the team performed, and also individuals, you can draw inspiration from that.”When asked what lessons could be learnt from the displays of that side, which left Australian shores after having nearly ruined Steve Waugh’s farewell, Kumble said, “We have more or less the same set of players. It’s a matter of one innings. Hopefully, it will be the first innings of thefirst Test here. We picked up 20 wickets and won a Test [Adelaide], and came close to winning another [Sydney]. You need runs on the board, and you need time.”

That said, South Africa are formidable opposition, having lost only to Australia and England on home soil since their re-admission to the Test arena in 1992. “They know their conditions well,” said Kumble. “They have the bowlers to suit the pitches they play on. But then again, not manyhave gone to Australia and returned [nearly] victorious, so we must be positive.”Though he emphasised that the batsmen would need to get their act together over the next month, Kumble wasn’t overly worried about the poor displays in the one-day series. “It’s especially important for a spinner to have runs on the board,” he said. “The one-day series wasn’t easy. A couple of times, we had to bat under lights, and if you look at the record for thosekinds of games in South Africa, it’s a bit tough. We also didn’t have proper practice before the first game because of the rain.”South Africa too had the odd batting wobble during the one-day series, and Kumble was confident that India had the resources to hurt them again if they slipped up in the Tests. “Their top order also didn’t fare too well in the one-day games,” he said. “We have the quality when it comes to the bowling. If we bowl in the right areas, and get a couple of early wickets,we can put pressure on them.”The South Africans have already talked of how they won’t allow the Indian spinners to settle, and AB de Villiers and Herschelle Gibbs could be given the task of trying to unsettle Kumble with some big hits. de Villiers played some splendid knocks against Muttiah Muralitharan in Sri Lanka, but the prospect of the batsmen taking him on didn’t faze Kumble in the slightest. “Their approach will depend on the situation,” he said. “It will be good if they’re aggressive, it also gives us a chance to get them out.”

Given that India are almost certain to go into the game with a four-man bowling attack, Irfan Pathan, the spearhead less than a year ago, will miss out. The likes of Suresh Raina and Mohammad Kaif are already back home, after unconvincing one-day performances. Kumble, however, urged them not to be disheartened as they analyse what has gone wrong.”It’s important for the development of a youngster that you have these ups and downs,” he said. “Every outing won’t be a century or a five-wicket haul. I try and put positive thoughts in their minds. I’ve been through this before, as has everyone who’s played a lot of cricket. You just keep talking to them, and you hope that when they do come back, the experience they have gained will help.”He didn’t wax eloquent about his return to the one-day side, but made it clear that he was determined to be a part of India’s World Cup campaign, having played only a fringe role in the last edition. “It’s good to be in the scheme of things,” he said. “It’s a young man’s game, but you also need experience.”In the midst of the batting meltdown that cost India the one-day series, a couple of strong showings from Kumble went almost unnoticed. It didn’t really bother him. “As a team, we didn’t do well,” he said bluntly. “My performance was not so important. You need to win, and if that doesn’t happen, it doesn’t count.”If each of his team-mates had that town-sized heart and unflinching desire to win, India would hardly ever lose a game.

Though not “100% sure” of his ability to take the field for tomorrow’s crucial one-day international at Chennai, Brian Lara cut a confident figure as he assessed his side’s current form. With one eye very focused on the World Cup at home in 46 days, Lara stressed on the role of youngsters and the constant need to assess and adjust against the odds.”We’re still very buoyant. The guys are looking forward to the remainder of the series,” he told reporters ahead of West Indies’ practice session at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. “I think this has always been called a build-up to the World Cup, so whatever we can get out of it – not necessarily results, but in terms of improving different aspects of our game – is important. We shouldn’t lose confidence from a series such as this. And even if we were winning, not to leave here over-confident.”It’s easy to suggest that West Indies’ morale may be down given the 0-2 score line in the four-match series, but Lara thought otherwise: “We are achieving certain things, maybe not in the form of results, but its very optimistic in the dressing-room. We know what the bigger picture is.”For as far back as one can remember, West Indies’ batting has revolved around the three senior players – Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, and Chris Gayle – but Lara denied it was over-reliance. “The batting has definitely improved. Marlon Samuels in Pakistan and the likes of Dwayne Bravo, on a couple of occasions here, have shown that we’re trying to improve as far as the matchwinners in the team go – in terms of with bat and ball and the occasional run-out or two.”It’s important to understand that we have a good allround team. We’re just trying to get everyone to improve, but of course there are going to be guys well-positioned to do a large part of the job, like Gayle and Chanderpaul and myself, but we have specific jobs for every individual. It’s important that they execute it.”Lara did not see the need to change the make-up of the team based on the surface and praised Gayle for the leadership he showed at Cuttack. “It’s an exercise for any captain that likes to lead and likes the intricacies of the game. You want to be able to have that kind of situation. I think Chris enjoyed himself a couple days ago, moving around the bowlers, and I think he did a tremendous job. It’s only going to develop any captain if he has conditions of that sort.”

Despite so much focus being directed towards the Caribbean’s first World Cup, Lara refrained from talking strategies. “After this series, we head back to the Caribbean, where we have regional cricket to play, and there’s a camp before the World Cup. This particular series is paramount to us before the World Cup. We needed to get some sort of international cricket under our belt, and this is what we’re doing at present.”Having a little break before that is good, too, and I think we can get back well. The way the World Cup is structured, it allows you a couple of practice games, and some against the minnows to get you moving ahead of the main stage. We’re well on course as far as our preparation goes. It’s just a matter of staying fit, everyone staying together, and having the right group around.”Lara was also eager to point out the aggressive streak in India. “I’m not going to compare what I saw back then [in the ICC Champions Trophy and in Malaysia] but what I can tell you now is that they look hungry. They look like a team desperate for wins. Their results haven’t been good in the recent past, and leading up to the World Cup, with a billion people following you, you need to leave them with some sort of hope going into that tournament.”They were finalists four years ago, and know what they need to do as far as getting their act together goes; they’ve reshuffled a few players to try and get the right mix come March. I must commend them for the sort of character they’ve shown over the last week or so, because they were destroyed in South Africa and didn’t do too well in the ICC Champions Trophy. India is a team you never take lightly.”

Andrew Symonds is happy with the way his arm injury is progressing and is delighted the ICC has allowed him to be picked – and perhaps replaced – in Australia’s World Cup squad. Symonds had surgey for a torn biceps on Sunday and Trefor James, the team doctor, said the next week of his recovery would be crucial.”I will be doing everything I possibly can to be right in six weeks or so,” Symonds said in the Herald Sun. “We will be realistic about my chances, but at least we’ve got something to work towards. I’m happy with how things are going so far.”Australia’s selectors are expected to finalise the 15-man squad today, but it is unlikely to be announced until after the second final against England on Sunday. The team has been given permission by the ICC to choose Symonds and then replace him if the injury does not heal in time. Dr James told the paper it was possible Symonds could take part in the World Cup, which starts on March 13 and ends on April 28.”We are seeing how he responds to the surgery over the next week or so,” he said. “That is really important. Everyone is a bit different in how they come out of surgery. But it certainly is possible he will be available.”

Several of England’s players at the World Cup were fined for a “breach ofteam discipline” on Saturday and Andrew Flintoff reportedly had to berescued after a late-night boating mishap. Andrew Walpole, the England teamspokesman, said the transgressions had taken place in St Lucia on Fridaynight following England’s six-wicket defeat by New Zealand in their openingWorld Cup.The players were, a source said, fined for a late night drinking session atthe Rumours Nightclub near England’s team hotel in St Lucia. They had beenout late ahead of their second Group clash against Canada on Sunday – amatch England must win if they are to qualify for the Super Eights. Fans whowitnessed events then contacted several British newspapers to tell them whatthey’d seen.The Newsof the World reported Flintoff, the vice-captain, had been involvedin a separate incident of his own. Its back-page headline, “Sunk’ n’ Drunk -Freddie fined after pedalo booze shame”, topped a story saying Flintoff hadto be rescued at 4am after capsizing at sea.The breach was reported to the England team management at breakfast onSaturday and the decision to fine the players involved was taken at asubsequent team meeting, which was attended by the whole squad andmanagement.Walpole, who refused to name the players involved, the extent oftheir fines, or the exact nature of the breach, said in a statement: “TheEngland team management today [Saturday] announced that a number of Englandplayers had been fined by the head coach, Duncan Fletcher, after admittingto a breach of team discipline last night.”

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Ireland have created enough of an impression already with a win and tie here in this World Cup and that should make today’s final Group D fixture against West Indies at Sabina Park all the more interesting, with both teams qualifying for the Super Eights.And yesterday, following his team’s rain-shortened practice session at Kensington Park, Brian Lara, the West Indies captain, said of the game, “This is what I consider, and I’m impressing the team to consider this the start of the second round.”A win for either team today will give them far more than a confidence-booster going into next week’s round of games where West Indies will face defending champions Australia in the first match at the brand-new Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Tuesday.”The points that you get along with the team that goes through with you, those points accompany you,” Lara said. “The two points are of utmost importance.”To get them and please what is expected to be another large and vocal crowd at Sabina Park, the Windies will have to play a focused game. Their two wins so far against Pakistan and Zimbabwe were attained with varying degrees of efficiency. Bennett King, the West Indies coach, was moved to describe the six-wicket win over Zimbabwe as “scrappy”.Ireland, led by Trent Johnston, have played determined enough cricket so far to punish any further scrappiness by their opponents today and Lara acknowledged their performance.”They showed that they have the mettle,” he said. “They showed that they have the fight in them. And a cricket game is who plays best on the day and that’s what Ireland have done so far.”Both Lara and Johnston are also mindful that an Ireland win against West Indies will not be unprecedented. On West Indies’ last tour to England in 2004, the two teams shared a one-day series in Belfast. Ireland won the second of the two in impressive style, chasing down the 292 for 7 to win by four wickets. Opener Jeremy Bray, who scored a century against Zimbabwe last week, made 71 that day and wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien, who struck 72 in the Pakistan upset, an unbeaten 58. Dwayne Bravo made an unbeaten 100 for West Indies. It is that kind of effort that Lara will want from the men in the top order as they try to build momentum and confidence for the Australia clash.”In this particular tournament, our top four batsmen have to understand that their job is to carry through,” Lara said. “That hasn’t happened totally yet. We don’t have any century-makers in the tournament. But I do expect one of those guys to try to bat out.”The pitches on which games in this group have been played have not necessarily favoured the batsmen, with Wednesday’s match between Pakistan and Zimbabwe being the exception. The bowlers have been especially effective in the first hour of every game, so the team winning the toss may field first again. The patchy weather in Kingston may also provide an added incentive to do so. Afternoon showers have become standard this week and yesterday’s was heavier than in previous days.Lara hinted that with the top five batsmen in the Ireland line-up all being left-handers, consideration could be given to left-arm seamer Ian Bradshaw who has bowled well in the past to left-handers.Personnel changes aside, the home team will know that it is a concentrated effort principally that will get them past an Ireland side that gives very little away in the field and who always supplement their bowling and batting limitations with a large dose of commitment.