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Pakistan’s two-member team which is currently in India to check the arrangements before their team’s tour, has expressed concerns about the spectators’ facilities in Kanpur, which is scheduled to host one of the one-day matches.According to a report in The Times of India, Zakir Khan, the PCB’s general manager (operations) and Sohail Khan, the special superintendent of police, were worried about the condition of certain sections of the stands at the Green Park. Asking the local authorities to spruce up the galleries, Zakir said: "It is the responsibility of the local administration to ensure that no untoward incident happens. If anything happens, people may be injured or other incidents could take place."Earlier, the two PCB officials visited Ahmedabad, which will host one of the Tests. While they were tight-lipped about their opinion of the facilites there, Narahari Amin, the chief of the Gujarat Cricket Association, was confident that Ahmedabad would get the green signal for the game. “We briefed them about the security arrangements all along the Pakistan team’s itinerary, from the airport to the hotel to the stadium and inside the venue," Amin told Indo-Asian News Service. "They are very satisfied. I am confident that the city will host the match.”Mohali and Bangalore are the venues for the two other Tests, while Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Jamshedpur and Delhi will host the one-dayers.

Kenya’s opener Ravi Shah is unlikely to return in the upcoming ICC Intercontinental Cup semi-finals in Namibia next month due to a niggling knee injury, local officials said on Wednesday.”Ravindu has not managed to train with the team,” said Kenya’s acting coach Alfred Njuguna. “There’s no way he would be fit for this tour.” Shah, 33, has been out of action since he suffered the injury in last year’s Intercontinental Cup semi-finals in Sharjah, UAE and was forced to miss all the qualifying matches of the 2005 tournament. He has not played for his local league club Kanbis in the regular season.Kenya will face fellow 2007 World Cup qualifiers Bermuda in Windhoek on October 23-25 with the winner meeting either Ireland or the United Arab Emirates in the final two days later.

The shirt worn by Shane Warne in the first tsunami charity match has received a bid for over AUS$140,000 (about £57,000) on the Australian ebay website. And, at the time this bid was placed, there were still more than 17 hours to go before bidding closed.All of the shirts worn by players in the ICC World XI v ACC Asia game at Melbourne were put up for auction by Australia’s cricket board to raise money for World Vision, who received AUS$14 million (£5.7m) from the game itself. The shirts of Ricky Ponting, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara and Adam Gilchist have also received bids above AUS$10,000 (£4000), but Warne’s shirt is attracting the most attention, and has already received over 240 bids.The International Cricket Council thanked all who had contributed to the World Cricket Tsunami Appeal match in Melbourne. The ICC President Ehsan Mani praised the way the cricket world had responded in staging a major international fundraising match within two weeks of the disaster.”Sport has the power to make a positive difference,” said Mani. “I have been heartened by the way in which cricket has united across political divides to raise millions of dollars for the World Cricket Tsunami Appeal.”

Australia 120 and 221 for 2 (Gilchrist 140*, Martyn 64*) lead Sri Lanka 211 (Vaas 68*, Warne 5-65) by 130 runs
Scorecard

In a stunning contrast to the first day, the bat held sway at Kandy on the second and Adam Gilchrist swung the momentum Australia’s way with an unbeaten hundred, full of grit and character after an unlikely and hugely entertaining 79-run last-wicket partnership between Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitharan had helped Sri Lanka gain a 91-run first-innings lead. At the end of day, Gilchrist and Damien Martyn had taken Australia to 221 for two and a lead of 130.Gilchrist, who came into the match with four ducks in his last seven visitsto the crease in Sri Lanka, made full use of the opportunity to bat up theorder after Ricky Ponting sprained his back, and rescued Australia with 140from 175 balls. It was not one of his blazing lower-order assaults, but it was still aggressive and studded with three sixes and 19 fours.Gilchrist was supported by Martyn, who played a more subdued hand, scoring 64 from 140 balls, and provided the perfect counterfoil to Gilchrist’s aggression. The pair settled in on a pitch that had lost its menace, and added a record 195 for the third wicket, surpassing Australia’s previous highest third-wicket stand against Sri Lanka.Australia’s lead may already look imposing when compared to the first-innings scores, but this is a pitch that should get better and better for batting. Just two months ago a world record was set on a similar surface at the same venue when a team chased a 512-run target. Australia have their noses ahead, but Sri Lanka are by no means out of the game.Vaas led Sri Lanka’s morning recovery, carrying the attack to Australia’s bowlers with an unbeaten 68. But his innings was overshadowed by Muralitharan, who chipped, swatted and swung his way to 43 from 28 balls, whacking three sixes and five fours.Sri Lanka, starting the day on 92 for 7 with the match poised on a knife-edge, quickly wiped away the 28-run deficit and then secured a useful 91-run lead – a lead that would have been beyond their wildest dreams before the start of play. Vaas and Muralitharan played a large part, frustrating Australia with an entertaining 79-run stand for the last wicket, delighting a small crowd of locals as they swung the initiative back to Sri Lanka.Australia’s morning was made worse by an injury to Ponting, who sprained his back after his spikes got caught in the sponsor’s advertising mats. Ponting left the field for treatment immediately and received treatment throughout the afternoon.Australia went to lunch on 11 for 0 but lost Matthew Hayden (5) to the first ball of the afternoon, with Chaminda Vaas pocketing a simple return catch on his follow-through off the bat and front pad. Australia’s woes deepened five overs later when Justin Langer wafted airily outside off and nicked a thin edge off Nuwan Zoysa (26 for 2).Fortunately for Australia, Gilchrist batted himself back into form. He played edgily at the start, flirting outside his off stump without conviction, but gradually slotted back into his dangerous free-scoring groove. As the afternoon drew to a close, he slipped into top gear, sweeping with tremendous power and lofting down the ground.Martyn lived even more dangerously at the start as an edge flew low to Mahela Jayawardene at second slip before he had scored. He also came perilously close to being trapped lbw by Vaas a short while later. But like Gilchrist, he eventually bedded down and was then rarely troubled.Earlier, Nuwan Zoysa signalled Sri Lanka’s positive intentions early with a majestic cover-drive for four. But Zoysa did not last long as he groped tentatively at a wide delivery from Michael Kasprowicz and was caught behind. Lokuarachchi might have been dismissed off the next ball, but the inside edge just evaded Adam Gilchrist.Lokuarachchi, who was included in the side in place of Upul Chandana, showedsome class with a glorious back-foot cover-drive off Kasprowicz. But he wasless assured against Warne and eventually skied a simple catch to short fineleg as he tried to sweep (132 for 9).At this stage, considering their meltdown the previous evening, Sri Lanka would have settled for a handful of lusty blows from Muralitharan. But Muralitharan did that and more, as he indulged in an orgy of hitting – an innings that showed complete disregard to any classical batting theory.Most of the crowd collapsed in laughter at his antics, but Kasprowicz, who finished with 4 for 83, could be forgiven for not being amused after being hit out of the attack as Muralitharan clubbed 16 runs off an over, including one sweet blow onto the steps of the lime-green old pavilion.The carnage continued against the spinners too, as sixes were heaved overmidwicket off Warne and Stuart MacGill. But just then, on the verge of a fifty, Muralitharan skied a catch to mid-on. Warne, the wicket-taker, finished with 5 for 65 from 20.1 overs, his third consecutive five-wicket haul since returning to the national side in Galle.

Mitchell Johnson should already be pencilled in as Australia’s third fast bowler for the first Ashes Test, according to his Queensland captain Jimmy Maher. Maher weighed into the debate after playing against Johnson’s main rival for the Ashes spot, Stuart Clark, in a Pura Cup match at the Gabba.”I think hometown, Gabba, I mean it’s a big stage … first Test and it’s important Australia get off to a good start,” Maher said on the website. “And from an experience point of view Clark’s probably got his nose in front, but his [Johnson’s] out-and-out pace will really worry England here a lot and I think they’d be mad not to pick Johnson.”Clark, who said he was still slightly rusty after a thigh injury, took two important wickets in his best spell of the match against Queensland to help New South Wales to victory late on the final day. “I’ve said all along it depends what the selectors want to go with,” he said. “If they want to go with a more McGrath-type bowler they’ll probably go down my line. If they want to go express they’ll probably go down Mitchell’s line.”The New South Wales captain Brad Haddin said Clark improved throughout the four-day match, although he took only three wickets. “After that long lay-off every spell in the game he got better,” he told . “At the end of the day he was back to the old Stuart Clark.”Maher said while Johnson would be his preference, Clark would not let Australia down. “He’s always in and around you and at you and always keeps the pressure on,” he said. “He’s ready to go, there’s no doubt about that.”But one of the two should get the nod, according to Maher, who said it would be a mistake to play two spinners at the Gabba for the first Test starting on November 23. “I don’t think I’d be playing two leggies here,” he said. “There’s plenty of places they can play those. Certainly not here. I’d be hitting them with as many fast bowlers as we can on a good fast Gabba pitch.”

North Zone 304 for 7 (Yuvraj 106, Mongia 84, Paul 3-65) v East Zone
Scorecard
Yuvraj Singh stroked a magnificent hundred, but North Zone frittered away their commanding position towards the end of the first day of the Duleep Trophy final at Mohali. Dinesh Mongia partnered Yuvraj in a 197-run stand and, at 285 for 2, North Zone were in cruise control. But Debasis Mohanty and Shib Shankar Paul triggered a middle-order collapse with the second new ball, and inside 20 minutes North were reduced to 288 for 6. After putting North Zone in and being carted to all parts by Yuvraj and Mongia, East Zone were relieved in the end to restrict them to 304 for 7.But the day belonged to Yuvraj, a surprise last-minute inclusion in the XI. He punched his very first ball confidently from the meat of the bat, a contrast to the openers’ patient approach. He survived a huge appeal for caught behind third ball – Paul had already begun wild celebrations before the appeal was turned down. But that was the only uncertain moment in Yuvraj’s whole innings, until the run-out that ended it, and he turned on the boosters immediately after lunch. A crisp sweep was followed by some booming back-foot punches as the ball raced to the boundary.Mohanty and Saurasish Lahiri, the offspinner, dried up the runs with some disciplined bowling but Yuvraj was willing to wait. He finally broke free, creaming one to midwicket, and soon reached 50 in 90 balls. The second half of the innings took only 67 balls, with Utpal Chatterjee the target of Yuvraj’s hammer. As he approached his century, his hitting became totally effortless and he reached three figures with a flicked three to midwicket. He finally fell in the 80th over, as Mongia pushed to the covers and sent him back, only for the direct hit to leave Yuvraj short of the crease (285 for 3)Mongia, who made 84, was hardly noticeable while Yuvraj was stroking away. But Mongia used glides and pushes to good effect. He chipped away the singles, and played the supporting role effectively. Once he had passed his half-century, he drilled some rasping drives, one of them lofted straight over the long-off boundary. He fell soon after Yuvraj, driving uppishly into the hands of Laxmi Ratan Shukla at cover (285 for 4). Mongia later said: “Considering the way I was dismissed, with the ball stopping on me, I expect the wicket to become slower as the match progresses. It will turn from the third day and I am happy we are bowling last.”Mithun Manhas soon fell, padding up without offering a shot, and Joginder Sharma edged one from Paul that was taken by a lunging MS Dhoni behind the wicket (288 for 6). Ajay Ratra and Gagandeep Singh survived a few nervy moments towards the end of the day, with edges falling short of the fielders and balls beating the bat a number of times. Gagandeep eventually fell to what became the last ball of the day, and North Zone will need some stiff tailend resistance tomorrow if they want to reach 350.The first session was a struggle too, but the openers, Aakash Chopra and Gautam Gambhir, hung on grimly. The first hour contained some raucous appeals, and the sight of both openers letting the ball go past them unimpeded. Mohanty and Paul found the right length on a few occasions, and Chopra was lucky to survive when he was caught half-cock in the second over and rapped on the pads. The first boundary came as late as the 13th over, when Gambhir pulled Mohanty to square leg.Appeals for lbw were never too far away, but East muffed three crucial opportunities in the field. Chopra was dropped at second slip when he was 13, trying to slap a slightly wide delivery, and two easy run-out chances were missed. East finally got both wickets in quick succession, inevitably leg-before: Chopra (27) missed a straight one from Paul, and Gambhir (46) was beaten by a quicker one from Lahiri that might have missed leg stump (88 for 2). Devang Gandhi admitted: “Our bowlers were a bit wayward in the morning,” although he quickly added, “but they brought us back into the game in the end.”Mongia was disappointed that his team had squandered a decent start, but was optimistic about his bowlers’ chances: “After being put in to bat at Mohali, a score of 304 is a really good effort,” he said. “The ball was keeping low towards the end, and that will encourage our bowlers. They have come back into the game, but we have put the runs on the board.”The first session tomorrow should be interesting. North Zone have four medium-pacers raring to go – among them Ashish Nehra, who is itching to prove his fitness.

Things could not be tighter at the top of the National League Division Two Table, of the four sides in the hunt for promotion, Hampshire and Middlesex have four games remaining, whilst Lancashire and Northamptonshire have five.The run in:Hampshire:
v Durham at Riverside on 24 August
v Lancashire at The Rose Bowl on 7 September
v Middlesex at Lord’s on 14 September
v Derbyshire at Derby on 21 September

Lancashire:
v Middlesex at Old Trafford on 19 August (d/n)
v Somerset at Taunton on 1 September (d/n)
v Hampshire at The Rose Bowl on 7 September
v Sussex at Old Trafford on 14 September
v Northamptonshire at Northampton on 21 September

Northamptonshire:
v Derbyshire at Derby on 24 August
v Scotland at Edinburgh on 26 August
v Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on 31 August
v Durham at Northampton on 7 September
v Lancashire at Northampton on 21 September
Middlesex:
v Lancashire at Old Trafford on 19 August (d/n)
v Sussex at Hove on 3 September (d/n)
v Hampshire at Lord’s on 14 September
v Durham at Riverside on 21 September

1.20pm Despite worries that rain would doom the opening match of the TVS Cup, Chennai experienced no rain on the morning of the game. Although there was heavy overnight rain, the entire field was blanketed in covers, protecting both pitch and outfield. The MA Chidambaram Stadium, moreover, has an excellent drainage system, so unless there is any rain after play actually starts, India and New Zealand should play out a full-length one-dayer.

Sourav Ganguly had hardly slept last night, and he might hardly sleep tonight. At the breakfast table this morning, he looked bleary and tense, the unkemptness of his appearance accentuated by a ritual of not shaving during a Test match. At the post-match press conference, he wore a vacant look, of disappointment and frustration. He has always been a disapprover of the moral victory theory, and he wasn’t claiming one here. One-one wasn’t good enough for him, he had expected to win.”We are disappointed,” he said, not taking away from Australia’s effort in saving the Test, “we could have bowled better.”He was fulsome in his praise for Anil Kumble, who took 12 wickets in the match to register his best figures in a Test abroad. “Anil was outstanding,” he said, “He gave it his all. But we couldn’t keep up the pressure from the other end.”He wouldn’t issue a public condemnation of Murali Kartik, who put up an improved performance in the second innings and could have had Ricky Ponting stumped and was denied a close lbw shout against Damien Martyn. “Kartik was playing a Test after a long time, but he is a much better bowler than how he performed today. I’d say that our other bowlers didn’t perform to their ability today. And the pitch didn’t deteriorate that much.”In a sense, Ganguly’s disappointment was an indication of how much the team has travelled in the last six weeks. India were barely given a chance to draw a Test when they arrived here, and the fact that they took a Test off Australia, and dominated the last one should have been enough for a captain to assume high moral ground. But when asked if his team’s performance had exceeded expectations, Ganguly replied bluntly that it depended on whose expectations was in question. “We knew what we could do. We came here knowing we could compete.” The vital difference between this team and the ones that that toured before is belief and ambition. Ganguly was not a captain easily sated.But he will allow himself to call the tour a successful one. “Considering the way Australia have played over the last few years and the fact that we came here with a young team, it was quite special the way the team has played.”And he was in no hurry to push Australia off the perch. “They are still the number one team in the world. You can’t just say that they aren’t because of one series. Our team has progressed well in the last couple of years. To play well abroad was one of the areas in which we needed to improve and we have done that in the last one-and-a-half years.”When asked to quantify the progress, Ganguly put it down to the quality and ability of the players. More importantly, he said, it was a team. “We play like a team.”He was quick to stand up for Parthiv Patel, who missed stumping Ponting when he was on 15 to add to several such missed chances earlier. “Parthiv is a young boy,” he said, “he has missed a few chances here. But he kept well to spinners in India where it is more difficult. He is the future. We need to keep faith in players like him.”

All young cricket fans are invited to the Somerset County Cricket Club Junior Sabres `Bash’ that will take place at the County Ground on the morning of Saturday June 21st starting at 10.00 am.This year’s event promises to be the biggest and best `Bash’ that the club has ever held, and entry for Junior Sabre members is absolutely free. The price for non-members is just £1.Some of the events that have already been booked for the morning include, bowling at a player, face painting and the Coca-Cola inflatable football game.There will also be free samples of vanilla cola, numerous competitions and free goodies and balloons for all of those who attend what promises to be another memorable occasion for the Junior Sabres.One extra special guest who will be appearing at the Bash is the Junior Sabres mascot `Stumpy’ who told me that he has been saving up all of his energy through the winter months so that he can be present on this very special occasion and have the chance to meet all of his friends.Following on from the `Bash’, Somerset will be playing Gloucestershire in a Twenty20 match that gets underway at 12.35pm, so June 21st is a day that all young fans will want to be at the County Ground.In order that the club know how many to expect to the Junior Sabres `Bash’ it would be a great help if those intending to be present could let Jo Arnold know in advance by returning the tear off slip at the bottom of the invitation that was sent out recently.Anyone who wants to find out more about the Junior Sabres Bash or any non members who want to attend the event should contact Jo Arnold on 01823 272946.