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The International Cricket Council has reacted swiftly to the news that Malcolm Speed, its chief executive, had flown to Zimbabwe only to be snubbed by the Zimbabwe Cricket Union. The ICC announced that it would hold an emergency board meeting, in the form of a telephone conference, this Friday (May 21), to decide whether the two scheduled matches between Zimbabwe and Australia should be stripped of their Test status.The ICC’s press release was couched in diplomatic terms, but the anger at the conduct of the ZCU was clear. It referred to the refusal of the ZCU to defer the matches “as proposed by the ICC and agreed by Cricket Australia”, the first official acknowledgment that such a step had been planned: less than 24 hours ago suggestions to that effect were said not to be part of the discussion.”The decision by the ZCU to withdraw its invitation to Malcolm Speed was unfortunate,” said Ehsan Mani, the ICC’s chairman. “Instead, he met with Peter Chingoka [the ZCU chairman] and Vince Hogg [the chief executive] on the understanding that they would relay to the full board the view of the international cricket community on the importance of preserving the integrity of Test cricket at its meeting today.”The ZCU has now indicated that it intends to proceed with these matches as Test matches,” Mani continued, “and I have called a meeting of the ICC executive board to establish clearly if the ICC directors believe that affording these matches Test status is appropriate.”Mani added that the issue at stake was the integrity of Test cricket, not the internal dispute which has dogged Zimbabwe for the last seven weeks. “It’s up to the directors to determine if these matches should have Test status or not and to exercise their judgment as to what course of action best protects the integrity of the international game.”Mani chairs the executive board, which includes Speed, but neither of them has a vote. Seven of the ten directors have to agree on a motion for it to be carried. The directors, representing the Test-playing countries, are Bob Merriman (Australia), Mohammad Ali Asghar (Bangladesh), David Morgan (England), Jagmohan Dalmiya (India), Sir John Anderson (New Zealand), Shaharyar Khan (Pakistan), Mohan de Silva (Sri Lanka), Ray Mali (South Africa), Teddy Griffiths (West Indies) and Peter Chingoka (Zimbabwe). There are also three representatives of the associate-member countries: Rene van Ierschot (Holland), Jimmy Rayani (Kenya) and Tunku Imran (Malaysia).

The World Cup final has most people thinking that Australia are the odds-on favourites. However, a closer look at the numbers suggests that the two teams are quite evenly matched. If you are wondering how Australia can be stopped after 16 consecutive one-day international wins, remember that it was India who halted their run of 16 consecutive Test victories in 2001.Cricket is a funny game and has more statistics than any other sport in the world. West Indies, the champions of the first (1975) and second (1979) World Cups, remained unbeaten in both tournaments for ten consecutive matches till they lost the title to India in 1983. However, before losing the final at Lord’s, their run of unbeaten games was halted – by India, in Manchester, June 10th 1983.That was India’s maiden victory over a Test-playing country in a World Cup and also the first defeat for the West Indies in a World Cup.Now Australia are unbeaten in World Cups since 23rd May 1999 when they lost to Pakistan by ten runs at Headingley and are unbeaten in 17 matches (7 in 1999 & 10 in 2003).With Australia as reigning world champions, India might repeat history to halt Australia’s world record of consecutive victories.In my opinion, both teams are evenly matched but India is a more balanced team (in batting & bowling) while Australia is a bit stronger in bowling. It is interesting that a pace trio in both teams dominates the bowling department.For Australia, Brett Lee (20), Glenn McGrath (18) and Andy Bichel (15) have taken a total of 53 wickets while India’s trio of Zaheer Khan (18) Srinath (16) and Ashish Nehra (15) have taken 49 wickets in the current World Cup.While Australian reserves have stepped up admirably to replace players, it is more interesting that India’s bench strength is such that Anil Kumble & Ajit Agarkar with 474 ODI wickets between them could not get a proper chance. India’s success with seam has meant that Harbhajan Singh has taken only eight wickets.In batting, for Australia every batsman has played one or two useful innings while for India, Sachin Tendulkar and Ganguly have dominated their batting. Rahul Dravid played useful knocks in two matches and youngsters Yuvraj Singh & Muhammad Kaif also played their roles in important games.In this World Cup Australia have won ten out of ten matches played while India have won nine out of ten. Australia have comprehensively defeated all three Asian teams, all former world champions, Pakistan, India & Sri Lanka (twice) in this World Cup.So if India win, it will be ten victories for both teams and if it’s a victory for Australia, then people may well call them the `Brazil of Cricket’. I think this is the second time in eight World Cups that both finalists are so well balanced, as the records show. The earlier instance was when West Indies met Australia in the 1975 final.Can Australia’s current run of consecutive ODI wins be halted by India, in Johannesburg, March 23rd 2003?

* PCB refrains from commenting on India’s standThe Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday refrained from commenting onIndia’s reiteration of the ban on bilateral cricket series andannounced the list of probables for the forthcoming Asian Testchampionship. “This is not the time to for us to join issues. But atthe same time, we are very confident that Indian team will arrive hereto play in the Asian Test championship (ATC) match scheduled to takeplace between September 13 and 17,” a PCB official told PTI fromLahore.Minister of State for Sports Pon Radhakrishnan had on Mondayreiterated the Government’s stand disallowing its cricket team to playin bilateral series with Pakistan. India is scheduled to play Pakistanin Karachi in the Asian Test championship which is a multi-lateraltournament involving Sri Lanka and Bangladesh too. The Government hasallowed the Indian team to play Pakistan in multi-lateral tournaments.The ATC schedule: Sept 1-5: Pakistan vs Bangladesh in Pakistan, Sept13-17: Pakistan vs India in Pakistan, Sept 21-25: India vs Bangladeshin India. Oct 2-6: Sri Lanka vs Bangladesh in Sri Lanka. Jan 31-Feb 4:Sri Lanka vs Pakistan in Sri Lanka. Feb 7-11: India vs Sri Lanka inIndia. Feb 15-19: Final (venue to be decided later).* Kumble confident of being 100 per cent fit before SA tourIndian spin ace Anil Kumble, who returned to full-fledged competitivecricket on Wednesday after a nine-month injury layoff, expressedconfidence of being 100 per cent fit before India’s tour to SouthAfrica in October.”I am 80 per cent fit now and confident of being totally fit in twomonths,” Kumble, who is leading the Karnataka State CricketAssociation XI in the ongoing KSCA Diamond Jubilee All Indiatournament in Bangalore, told reporters.Kumble, who is returning to competitive cricket for the first timeafter withdrawing midway through a one-day series in Sharjah inOctober and undergoing shoulder surgery in Johannesburg in January,said he has been bowling 20 to 30 overs a day now and hoped that hewould regain his form.* Tendulkar rated best batsman both in Tests and one-dayersIndian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar is rated as the world’s bestTest and one-day batsman in the international ratings released onWednesday. In arguably the most scientific system of ratings,PriceWaterhouseCoopers puts Australian captain Steve Waugh behindTendulkar at number two in Tests and many numbers below him in theone-dayers.Rahul Dravid is placed number four in Tests and skipper Sourav Gangulynumber five in one-dayers. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is rated as the7th best bowler in Test cricket. With 892 and 742 points in the Testand one-dayers respectively, Tendulkar leads his rivals in bothversions of the game by comfortable margins. Waugh has 861 pointswhile his teammate Michael Bevan is placed second in the one-day listwith 775 points.Harbhajan is the only Indian in the top ten of the Test bowling listwith 733 points. Glenn McGrath is rated number one with 913 points.Dravid, who tallied 807 points, was placed behind Waugh and AndyFlower of Zimbabwe (830). Ganguly, placed a lowly 45th in the Testswith 534 points, has 742 points in the one-dayers. The highest ratedIndian bowler in one-dayers was Ajit Agarkar, placed 27th with 613points. He was immediately followed by Venkatesh Prasad, Zaheer Khanand Anil Kumble.* Ghavri takes charge of Bengal Ranji teamFormer Indian all rounder Karsan Ghavri said on Wednesday that it willbe a big challenge to coach Bengal cricketers and hoped he would beable to bring about the desired results.The 50-year-old former left hander, who took over as the coach of theBengal Ranji team, said that the boys will have to work hard if theywere keen to improve their performance. “I have just taken over thejob today, so I am not in a position to talk much about the team. Giveme some time to know the players,” he told reporters. “It is achallenge for me. I know Bengal’s performance has not been too good inthe last few years. I hope I can change that,” he said.The former Test cricketer expressed satisfaction with the coachingfacilities available at the Eden Gardens. “The facilities are verygood. I am impressed with the indoor coaching centre here”.

Ben Stokes is ready to take on greater responsibility with the ball if that is the role handed to him for the Test matches against Pakistan in the UAE.England will spend the first two weeks of the tour – which includes two two-day warm-up matches in Sharjah – fine-tuning the make-up of their side for the first Test in Abu Dhabi, beginning on October 13, and some of the decisions they face are not simple.Alastair Cook lauded England’s adaptability as the team travelled to the UAE, pinpointing the phalanx of allrounders at his disposal. Stokes is central to that, along with Moeen Ali, Adil Rashid and Samit Patel while Joe Root’s offspin could also see greater service on this trip.Although the prevailing feeling is that Moeen is favourite to open the batting ahead of Alex Hales, which could pave the way for a six-man bowling attack including four quicks, there remains a chance that England could go with three fast men, which would bring Stokes’ all-round role even more to the forefront of the team. In his 16-Test career to date he has only ever been one of four fast bowlers.”There will be a lot more responsibility on me when I come on to bowl,” Stokes told ESPNcricinfo. “I might not bowl as much as I have in the summer, because it’s more friendly to spinners out there, but when I do get the ball I’ll have to realise how much expectation there is on me as a third seamer because it’s hot, hard conditions to be a seam bowler in the UAE. I like added responsibility and think it brings the best out of my cricket.”Stokes began the last English summer in dramatic style with an all-round display against New Zealand at Lord’s that went down as one of England’s finest. He scored 92 on the opening day after England were tottering on 30 for 4, then struck the fastest hundred on the ground in the second innings, before a thrilling burst with the ball on the final day when he removed the lynchpin pair of Kane Williamson and Brendon McCullum in consecutive deliveries.His next four Tests only brought three wickets before he produced a dramatic display in the second innings at Trent Bridge, claiming 6 for 36 to help England secure the Ashes in barely more than two days. The eye-catching feature of that performance was the prodigious swing, and though it was conventional movement on that day Stokes is also capable of reversing the ball when conditions allow, which is something that could come into play on this tour.”We do a lot of work with reverse swing leading up to tours where it can reverse so we will probably be doing quite a lot of work on that leading up to the Test series. Most of us know the characteristics and skills of reverse swing.”For Stokes, this will be his first taste of Test cricket against Asian opposition in their conditions and even though the prospect of Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel looms over Christmas and New Year he believes the first phase of England’s overseas travels will be the most daunting.”We’ve had two series at home in our conditions which we all know, so the big thing for us is we are going to play in foreign conditions,” he said. “UAE will be the most challenging one, last time we didn’t do very well, but you want to test yourself against the best in the world in the hardest conditions.”

Match facts

Friday, April 11, 2008
Start time 15:00 local time (10:00 GMT)

Big picture

Despite having crushed Bangladesh in Lahore, Shoaib Malik, the Pakistan captain, has emphatically stated that his side’s five-match contest against the visitors is ‘not a time-pass series’. Bangladesh have been swept on each of their trips to Pakistan but Malik refused to underestimate them and cautioned against complacency. Pakistan have blooded a few youngsters recently and they want to keep their options open with bigger assignments ahead.Bangladesh, on the other hand, may be wondering just what they need to do to win a game against Test-match opposition. Their recent form is disappointing and their batting lacks depth. Mashrafe Mortaza’s return to bowling form has been important but the lack of support remains a concern.With few teams touring Pakistan due to security concerns the local fans would be hoping for a win to boost spirits in these times of political unrest.

Form guide – Pakistan

Last five matches: WWWWWPlayer to watch: Shahid Afridi biffed 27 from 11 balls to get Pakistan past 300 in Lahore and then bagged 3 for 41 to help skittle Bangladesh out for 129. With the lucrative Indian Premier League kicking off this month Afridi could well use the remaining two games to get into some form with the bat. He averages 33.33 against Bangladesh.

Form guide – Bangladesh

Last five matches: LWWWLPlayer to watch: Dhiman Ghosh, the young rookie wicketkeeper, has been a livewire in his seven ODIs so far, most exceptionally in the first game against Pakistan where he took four catches. His batting has been disappointing, but he has got a good first-class record and is capable of big hits. A promotion up the order – he batted at No. 9 in Lahore – may not be a bad idea.

Team news

Pakistan have options with which to rotate their squad but they may hold off until the series is in the bag. Their top order wobbled a bit but they aren’t likely to tinker with Salman Butt, Nasir Jamshed – at the start of what has been a promising six-game career – and Younis Khan, who may also have the IPL on his mind. The middle order remains Pakistan’s strength along with an effective and varied bowling attack.Abdur Razzak had a poor outing in Lahore but his one-day success and his experienced means he will stay in the starting line-up. Bangladesh could consider swapping Mahmudullah, who bled 59 runs in five overs and made just 2, for allrounder Nazimuddin.Bangladesh (likely) 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Shahriar Nafees, 3 Aftab Ahmed, 4 Mohammad Ashraful (capt), 5 Shakib Al Hasan, 6 Raqibul Hasan, 7 Nazimuddin, 8 Mashrafe Mortaza, 9 Farhad Reza, 10 Dhiman Ghosh (wk), 11 Abdur Razzak.Pakistan (likely) 1 Salman Butt, 2 Nasir Jamshed, 3 Younis Khan, 4 Mohammad Yousuf, 5 Shoaib Malik (capt), 6 Misbah-ul-Haq, 7 Shahid Afridi, 8 Kamran Akmal (wk), 9 Rao Iftikhar, 10 Umar Gul, 11 Sohail Tanveer.Umpires: Steve Bucknor, Aleem Dar.

Pitch & conditions

The Iqbal Stadium has only once witnessed a total of over 300 but the pitch – which looks firm and brown – is expected to offer good runs to the batsmen. The side that wins the toss should bat first, and hope to shut out the opposition. Inclement weather has often hampered play at the venue – and there was a cloud cover on the eve of the game -but at this time of year it’s not a worry, despite the late start.

Stats & trivia

Shane Warne is in hot water with the ECB following his behaviour in Hampshire’s Championship draw with Kent last week. He has been fined six points under the ECB’s disciplinary code – and if he incurs nine points or more he will be automatically suspended.Warne, Hampshire’s captain, was clearly unhappy when the umpire Tim Robinson gave him out lbw to Ryan McLaren. He lingered at the crease and then turned round to stare at Robinson as he slowly trudged off. As he entered the pavilion he underlined his unhappiness with an audible obscenity.Robinson and his fellow umpire Barrie Leadbeater reported him for two separate Level 2 breaches of the code – serious dissent at an umpire’s decision and using language or a gesture that is obscene or of a serious insulting nature to another player, umpire, referee, team official or spectator.The penalties remain on Warne’s record for a period of two years. The accumulation of nine or more penalty points in any 2-year period will result in an automatic suspension. The ECB refused to comment further on the matter, not that much more needed saying.

Division One

2nd dayYasir Arafat’s three wickets gave Sussex the upper hand on the second day against Kent at Canterbury. Resuming on 355 for 8 Sussex’s tail bashed their way to 399 before James Lewry trapped David Fulton with the first ball of Kent’s reply. Kent soon stumbled to 34 for 3 before Matthew Walker (87) and Darren Stevens (118) rescued a sinking ship with a fine fourth-wicket partnership of 188. Arafat struck back, though, removing both batsmen and Dwayne Bravo, the West Indies allrounder, to leave Kent still trailing by 160 runs.1st dayEd Joyce struck a magnificent unbeaten 158 for Middlesex who dominated the first day against Warwickshire at Edgbaston. However, the visitors were in early trouble when they lost Ed Smith (30) and Owais Shah (10) to leave them in the tricky position of 56 for 2. Enter Nick Compton with whom Joyce put on 71 vital runs for the third wicket. Though Compton fell for 52, Joyce found good support from Jamie Dalrymple (43) and David Nash (35*) as Middlesex closed on 344 for 5.John Crawley and James Adams launched a firecracking assault on Nottinghamshire‘s bowlers at Trent Bridge, each striking unbeaten centuries to leave Hampshire on a majestic 303 for 1. Mike Carberry fell on Nelson, and was unlucky not to make his half-century. He was on 49 when Ryan Sidebottom induced his edge, but by that stage Hampshire were healthily set. Then Crawley joined Adams and together they put on 192 at just under three an over.Anthony McGrath struck is third and highest century of the season to steer Yorkshire out of trouble against Durham at Chester-le-Street. After choosing to bat, Ottis Gibson and Mick Lewis reduced them to 186 for 7 despite a stand of 97 between McGrath and Darren Lehmann. But McGrath found solid support from Jason Gillespie, then Mitchell Claydon contributed a positive 38 in a ninth-wicket stand of 80. McGrath’s ton came off 183 balls and Yorkshire’s day ended on a fine note as Gillespie and Deon Kruis struck with the new ball.

Division Two

Day TwoAndy Flower was Essex‘s mainstay as they closed on 265 for 4 in reply to Gloucestershire‘s 394 at Bristol. He reached his century with a clip for four to the long-leg boundary as he ended on 114 not out to make a fine return to action following a recent back injury. Gloucestershire had earlier added 39 to their overnight score of 355 for 8 with Ian Fisher (45) and Jon Lewis (38) dispatching a flurry of boundaries at the start of the day. The home side narrowly missed out on their final batting point, however, as Lewis was first stumped by James Foster after advancing down the track to James Middlebrook before Fisher edged low to Ravinder Bopara at second slip off Andy Bichel.Essex lost Varun Chopra early in their reply, caught nibbling behind. Mark Pettini (59) fared better but chipped to square leg after sharing a stand of 111 for the third wicket with Andy Flower. In-form captain Ronnie Irani laboured for 12 off 69 balls before giving a catch to short-leg as Fisher claimed his second wicket. Fisher, the slow left-armer, had less success against the Flower combination, however, as they took their side to the close with an unbeaten stand of 74 for the fifth-wicket with Grant Flower on 28 not out.1st dayAli Brown made another fine century to help Surrey make a solid 328 on the opening day against Northants at Northampton. Mark Ramprakash added yet more runs to a mighty first-class haul, with a half-century, and there were runs, too, for Rikki Clarke, who was out three short of his fifty. But Northants stuck to their task with Matthew Nicholson picking up 4 for 84 to dismiss them before the close. Bilal Shafayat fell for a duck early doors, bowled by Mohammad Akram (1 for 1), but that was the end of the drama for the day, with Northants closing on 27 for 1, still 301 runs behind.Marcus North’s exquisite century put Derbyshire in a strong position on the opening day at Taunton. They closed on 374 for 9 and were helped to that total by Chris Taylor; he added 145 runs with North for the third wicket to pick their team up from an early wobble at 30 for 2. Taylor eventually fell to Andrew Caddick, who bagged three wickets, while North was undone by Simon Francis, who also took three.HD Ackerman led the way for Leicestershire with an unbeaten 177 as they recovered from a wobble to take the opening day honours against Glamorgan at Cardiff. Leicestershire lost wickets in clusters to find themselves on 178 for 5 midway through the afternoon. Ackerman and Paul Nixon then combined in a sixth-wicket stand of 160 to turn the innings around. Ackerman took 168 balls over his century, while Nixon showed all his fighting qualities during a 123-ball 60.

The Indian cricket board has presented the ICC Council with a formal appeal asking that the dispute concerning the six-match ODI ban slapped on Sourav Ganguly be referred to arbitration. The letter, signed by Ranbir Singh Mahendra, the board president, was addressed to Ehsan Mani, the president of the ICC.Mahendra confirmed to PTI that the request had been sent but refused to disclose the contents. The letter is the latest move by the BCCI in its two-month standoff with the ICC over the ban handed out to Ganguly by Chris Broad, the match referee, for the India’s slow over rate in the Ahmedabad one-day international against Pakistan on April 12.

While the cricket world concentrated on the first Test at Lord’s, a few miles to the south, one of domestic cricket’s oldest rivalries was attracting an unforeseen outbreak of handbags at two paces.Middlesex against Surrey does not come close to being in the top flight of sporting rivalries. Often spectators have to pinch themselves to remember that what they are watching is an all-London battle rather than just another county game.Fred Titmus’s move from Lord’s to The Oval at the end of the 1976 season was greeted with a few tuts and general surprise (he redeemed himself by returning home in 1979). But Mark Ramprakash’s defection at the end of 2000 was far more acrimonious, and on his return to Lord’s he was booed to the wicket. The rancour persists. When he reached his fifty at Lord’s earlier this month one member turned to another and asked if Ramprakash had been forgiven. A cry of “bastard” aimed in Ramprakash’s direction from nearby in the pavilion seconds later answered that.After that match – which Surrey lost – Middlesex reported what they viewed as suspicious treatment of the ball by Surrey’s bowlers to the ECB. The authorities ruled that there was no evidence to support the claim, but the ill-feeling was there for all to see when they meet last week at The Oval.Tempers spilt over in public on Friday. Play had been delayed by a combination of heavy overnight rain, a broken water super-sopper, and then in the penultimate over of the day words were exchanged between Jon Batty, Surrey’s captain, and David Nash, the Middlesex wicketkeeper. As the pair squared up, the eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation was ended by the swift intervention of Jeff Evans, the umpire, who zoomed in from square leg.The match ended in a draw, and the ramifications of the standoff will no doubt become clear in due course. But there will be an added element of spice when the two sides meet again in front of around 15,000 at Lord’s in July 15 in the Twenty20 Cup.

Surrey County Cricket Club is delighted to announce that the first team squad will be joining the Surrey Cricket Trade Fair at the Surrey County Cricket Centre in Guildford.The players will train between 5pm – 7pm and the session can be watched from the public gallery.Between 7pm – 8pm those at the Trade Fair will be able to meet the players and have their photograph taken with the Frizzell County Championship Trophy.The Trade Fair starts at 4pm today and will offer a 20% discount on all merchandise purchased on the night from exhibitors including Slazenger, Gunn & Moore, Gray Nicolls, Kookaburra, Newbury, Readers, Hunts County, Woodworm and Nike Eye Wear.Paul Sheldon, Chief Executive, stated:”This is a fantastic opportunity to meet the players and buy cricket equipment for the forthcoming season at a heavily discounted rate. The players always enjoy the chance to meet their young fans and take Surrey Cricket outside the AMP Oval.”