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More bad news comes the way of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) as an interim report by a governance committee, appointed by the WICB to examine the structures of cricket in the region, has recommended doing away with the board as it is currently constituted.In a wide-ranging report, the Patterson Committee, headed by PJ Patterson, the former Jamaican prime minister, and inclusive of noted Caribbean figures, Sir Alister McIntyre and Ian McDonald, observed that there were a number of negative perceptions about West Indies cricket, “which, whatever their validity, we consider it necessary to address”.The committee identified some of those perceptions as being that the WICB is administered inefficiently; sponsorship deals are perceived as flawed; finances are in shambles; and funding does not reach territorial boards.As a result, the committee said: “The West Indies Cricket Board should give way to a more representative body.”The report, the final version of which is due next month, proposed that such a restructuring could occur in one of two ways. The first was the replacement of the WICB with a West Indies Cricket Commission.This Cricket Commission, it was proposed, would include all the major interest groups – the territorial boards, players and officials, women, the Caribbean Community, the private sector and civil society and would have a chairman, selected after the Commission had been set up. It also recommended that there be a body of nominees – from the cricket boards, the governments, the West Indies Players Association, past players, the regional private sector and the media – to “identify, interview and nominate directors” of the Commission.It further suggested: “If final selection [of the directors] is to be dominated by the territorial boards, it should be limited to the list of names submitted by the nominating body.”The second proposal involved the WICB being run as a publicly-listed company on the regional stock exchanges, with directors accountable to shareholders, and with an annual general meeting. The committee noted this format would “help to raise much-needed capital and give the Caribbean public a sense of ownership”.However, the Patterson committee also warned that with such an entity, “there would need to be safeguards against appropriation of the board by special interests. Caps would have to be set, and the voting power so arranged as to avoid control ending up in the hands of a limited number of persons and corporations or result in a populist system which could stultify effective decision-making”. But it urged a clear delineation between the role of the board as a policy-making and monitoring entity and that of the management staff as the executing arm, regardless of the format.Additionally, the committee outlined ten steps it felt needed to be taken, “with immediate effect”, to give new momentum to cricket reform and development in the region. The steps, the committee said, could be introduced by mid-2008.Among the steps are the establishment of a cricket academy; the selection of a group of 15 players “for continuous retraining and development over the next 12 months”; and the drawing up of a business plan and budget for 2008-09.

If England’s cricketers need any counselling after a traumatic first day of the Ashes, then they should look no further than a certain member of their own camp. Ashley Giles’s career seemed dead in the water last summer, as he struggled to recover from a long-term hip injury, and when he did finally make it back into the team, a year to the day since his last outing, his selection ahead of Monty Panesar was universally panned.But it was ever thus with Gilo, and once again he took these indignities on the chin, wheeling away impassively to provide a rare semblance of control for his team. Eighteen overs for 51 plus the solitary wicket of Damien Martyn was hardly riches, but compared to some of the other returns on day one of the series, it was a comeback of Sinatra proportions.”It was fairly satisfying,” Giles demurred afterwards. “It’s been a difficult year, and I was nervous this morning. It’s almost a year to the day since I last played a Test match. But it was great to be out with the boys, and there’s no better ground or atmosphere to play in.”Giles’s selection, though widely speculated upon in the build-up to the match, still came as something of a surprise. He has not played any first-class cricket since the tour of Pakistan this time last year, and was even overlooked for England’s final warm-up match at Adelaide last week. “I take it as a huge compliment,” he said. “Monty played at Adelaide, I’ve been out of the team, and this is probably the most hyped Ashes series of all. But I was overjoyed last night to get picked for the side.”His selection was billed as negativity but, at the age of 33, Giles revealed he was still capable of learning new tricks, as he came in closer to the stumps with a remodelled action, and even ventured around the wicket on occasions. It was the second time in his career he had tinkered with his action, having deconstructed it on the tour of Bangladesh in 2003-04, with less immediate results. “I’m still in that match learning mode,” he admitted. “I was surprised my first ball bounced!”I’ve tried to get a bit closer around the wicket, be more consistent around the wicket and be more attacking but my pace is something I need to work on,” he added. “Because I’ve changed the angle of delivery I need to get my pace from other areas. I am still learning a lot about my action in matches. I hope it will develop and the action will get better and better.”Giles admitted that Panesar’s success had spurred him on in his rehabilitation. “It gives you a bit of a hurry-up,” he said. “I’ve always wanted and tried to get better, and it’s good competition. This last 12 months has given me the opportunity to work from a blank canvas. Having not bowled for such a long period I decided not so much to change things as improve things. At one stage I didn’t think I’d play cricket again, so it’s worked pretty well.”The two rival spinners hadn’t had much to say to each other before the match, however. “We haven’t spoken a lot,” said Giles. “Last night, Monty said good luck, I said hard luck, that’s all you can do. I’d back Monty all the way if he’d played ahead of me. But having been through what I’ve been through this year, I didn’t want to give up my cricket yet. I’ve got to work bloody hard.”The same could be said of the England team as a whole, but Giles was adamant they weren’t down and out just yet.”Things didn’t go as well as we’d have liked, but there’s plenty of spirit in this England camp. We’ll come out fighting and if we can get a couple of early wickets, we can get right in among them.”

Just over five weeks after The Oval was at the centre of one of cricket’s most fractious days, ending with Pakistan forfeiting the final Test against England, the main protagonists return to the scene of the row today to start a two-day hearing into Code of Conduct charges brought against Inzamam-ul-Haq by the ICC.The centre of the imbroglio is the 56th over of England’s second innings on the fourth day. Umpires Billy Doctrove and Darrell Hair, believing that the ball had been tampered with, changed it and awarded England a five-run penalty. Soon after, during tea, Pakistan decided to stage a protest against the decision. Ultimately, the umpires decided that Pakistan’s refusal to play amounted to the Test being forfeited. Cue chaos.Crime and Punishment
Inzamam is facing two charges, of ball-tampering and of bringing the game into disrepute. The former is on behalf of the team; no individual or specific incident of tampering has been highlighted so as captain, Inzamam faces the heat. If found guilty, he faces a fine of between 50 and 100% of his match fee and/or a ban of one Test or two ODIs.The latter charge, of bringing the game into disrepute as a result of not leading his team out to play, is potentially more serious. Again, as captain of a side that refused to play, Inzamam is in the dock and if found guilty, he faces a ban of between two and four Tests or four to eight ODIs.Who’s who
Pakistan: Inzamam-ul-Haq, Shaharyar Khan (chairman PCB) and Bob Woolmer (Pakistan coach). Danish Kaneria, Umar Gul and Zaheer Abbas (team manager) have all provided written statements as witnesses.ICC: Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove, Peter Hartley (third umpire), Trevor Jesty (fourth umpire), Mike Procter (match referee), Doug Cowie (ICC umpires and referees manager).Judge: Ranjan Madugalle (Sri Lankan ICC chief match referee)Support cast: Both sides are also backed up be legal representation. The PCB hired a UK-based legal firm, DL Piper, to represent them. Madugalle will be assisted throughout the hearing by the ICC’s lawyer David Pannick QC.Evidence m’lord
The PCB has claimed from the very beginning that there is no proof that ball-tampering occurred, that nothing has been captured on video and no single person caught. This, of course, overlooks conveniently that no evidence other than the ball itself and the umpires’ words is needed. Forensic tests on the ball to determine tampering has been suggested while those who have seen the ball – journalists and Pakistan officials – claim that there isn’t sufficient evidence to conclusively say tampering has occurred. The ball was 56 overs old and The Oval historically provides a dry, rough surface. Further, a fair few boundaries – and thus advertising hoardings around the ground – had been tonked.The disrepute charge seems more straightforward. Everyone knows Pakistan didn’t come out to play; though the PCB claimed the protest was meant to last only a few minutes, it lasted nearer 50. Both umpires even went to the Pakistan dressing room to ask Inzamam whether he would come out to resume the Test, to which they received no satisfactory answer and thus decided to forfeit. Mike Procter’s testimony will be of particular interest here, if only to establish whether he knew that the Test had been forfeited when he convinced Pakistan to come out and play eventually.

Anything else I should know?
Quite a lot as it happens. The ICC leaked emails from Darrell Hair in the aftermath of the incident in which he offered to resign for US$500,000. Zaheer Abbas has been replaced as manager of Pakistan since the Oval Test. An initial difference in opinion has emerged between the two umpires on when the ball should have been changed. Pakistan were reported in places to be calling up expert witnesses in the form of Geoffrey Boycott, John Hampshire and Simon Hughes. There is history between Hair and Pakistan; Pakistan have rumbled for some time now about Hair’s officious attitude and claim they complained officially about him last year. Ehsan Mani, ICC president at the time, denies the claim.Decision time
The hearing is to be held over two days, behind closed doors and Madugalle has a maximum of 24 hours after it is over to adjudicate on both charges, which means a decision by Friday. However, the PCB can appeal on behalf of Inzamam and Malcolm Speed, ICC CEO, can do likewise on behalf of the ICC if either party is unhappy with the decision.Exactly what that decision will be of course is difficult to know. That hasn’t prevented though some speculation. Most, including PCB officials, believe that Inzamam might escape punishment for ball-tampering and face a ban for bringing the game into disrepute. Pakistan sees the ball-tampering charge as the more serious one in any case.Privately, ICC officials seem to have acknowledged they are in a no-win situation, especially over the disrepute charge. If Inzamam is found guilty – and it is hard to see, even with mitigating circumstances, how he cannot be – then he has to be banned and the options are for one of between two and four Test matches or four to eight one-day internationals.If Madugalle is lenient, then the ICC will be slammed by many for undermining the tenant that the umpire is the sole arbiter of the laws during a game. If the ban is lengthy – and it is worth recalling that Arjuna Ranatunga was initially slapped with a six-match ban in 1998-99 when he took his side off the field at Adelaide, although that game did resume – then Pakistan are sure to appeal, and the whole affair rumbles on.Any scenario still leaves the question of what to do with Darrell Hair, particularly for the Champions Trophy, unanswered. He seems to think he is officiating there, the ICC is delaying announcing officials for the tournament, India and Pakistan have officially objected to his presence there and the latter, some reports suggest, have threatened greater action – including a possible pull-out – if Hair stands. In other words, this two-day hearing is unlikely to be the last word on the situation.

Mickey Arthur, the South Africa coach, says he is “worried” about the addition of Paddy Upton to Gary Kirsten’s coaching staff for India’s home series against South Africa, since the mental-conditioning specialist possesses inside knowledge on his key players.Arthur hoped Kirsten, the retired South Africa opener and the team’s former batting consultant, would do well as India’s new coach “except against South Africa”, but suggested that he was not so sure about Upton.”I am worried about Paddy Upton,” Arthur told Cricinfo. “I hope that he will respect the confidentiality of his relationship with the players, which is similar to a doctor-patient relationship because he has worked on the mental approach of most of our top six.”Kirsten took over as India coach on March 1 and recommended Upton to the BCCI, which is finalising the paperwork for a full-time contract.Upton, closely associated with Kirsten’s academy in Cape Town, has worked with most of the current South Africa players, including Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis. He was also South Africa’s biokineticist and fitness trainer in the mid-to-late 1990s, and a fitness trainer with the team from 1994 to 1998.”Gary is a genuine cricket man and I wish him all the best except against South Africa,” Arthur said. “Coaches analyse their opponents anyway so I not worried about his intimate technical knowledge of our players.”Arthur is currently in Bangladesh with his team for a two-Test series and three one-dayers. South Africa is expected to reach Chennai a few days after their Bangladesh tour ends on March 14, for the first of their three Tests against India.Asked to assess India’s performance during the recent Australia series, Arthur felt they had played particularly well. “They put pressure on Australia and seem to have developed a ruthless streak,” he said. Arthur, however, hoped that unlike in Australia, the forthcoming Test series would be “tough and uncompromising but played in the right spirit”.On the Indian Premier League, which follows the India series, Arthur said that while it was good for cricket, “there must be a window period for it in the international schedule.”

Sri Lanka will celebrate 25 years of their admittance as a full member to the International Cricket Council (ICC) by honouring the cricketers who played in the inaugural Test match against England in February 1982.The felicitation ceremony will take place at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium, venue of the second Test in the on-going series between Sri Lanka and South Africa. Coincidentally it was also the venue where Sri Lanka played their inaugural Test match against England 24 years ago.The celebrations will take place prior to the commencement of the second Test with the handing of memorabilia to the 12 players and officials who were part of the inaugural Test. The event is sponsored by Hatton National Bank who also sponsored the inaugural Test which England won by seven wickets.The players and officials who will be honoured at the occasion are: Bandula Warnapura (capt), Duleep Mendis (vice-capt), Sidath Wettimuny, Roy Dias, Ranjan Madugalle, Arjuna Ranatunga, Somachandra de Silva, Ashantha de Mel, Lalith Kaluperuma, Mahesh Goonatillake, Ajith de Silva and the late Anura Ranasinghe, Herbie Felsinger and K.T. Francis (umpire) and M Rajasingham (manager).

Steve Waugh believes Michael Clarke needs to “tighten up his technique” but does not have to overhaul his match-winning game plan. Clarke admitted during the weekend he had to score runs during the second Test at Hobart this week to avoid the same fate as Simon Katich, who was cut from the squad, and Waugh predicted the omission of Australia’s new No. 4 was inevitable.”At some stage, like most players, he’ll probably get dropped,” Waugh told the magazine . “I think in some ways it’s good because you reassess, you analyse and you work out how you can improve.”However, Waugh said Clarke had the tools for long-term Test success. “He’s learning in front of the world and it’s not an easy place to make mistakes,” Waugh said. “He’s got things he can work on. He’s got a good temperament. He’s a good listener, which is really crucial. He’s got his feet on the ground. But he’s going to go through some tough times.”Waugh understands the difficulties of growing up in the spotlight and struggled when trying to develop his best method to combat Test attacks. Dropped in 1990-91 for his brother Mark, Waugh changed from an attacking approach to a more defence-orientated style on the 1993 Ashes tour and it helped him become the world’s best batsman.While Waugh rebuilt his outlook he said Clarke’s technique was the thing that had to be tightened. “You don’t want to change him,” he said, “because he’s a match-winner and that’s the way he plays his game.””I know the reality,” Clarke said in the . “I’m not stupid, I need to score runs. That’s the way our game is. The reality is that I haven’t scored a hundred for a little while and people are trying to find out why. There are some past players and people in the public who might think my technique is terrible. I’ve got no problem with constructive criticism, but the way some people have spoken it’s like there’s some major problems and that’s a bit frustrating.”Clarke has scored two centuries in 19 Tests but has not reached three figures since his 141 against New Zealand at Brisbane last summer. In his next 14 games he has struggled to match his early brilliance and scored 526 runs at an average of 26.30.

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Australia romped to a thoroughly convincing victory, although later than expected on the final day, in the opening Test of the four-match series at Bangalore. An entertaining ninth-wicket stand delayed the inevitable, but with the skies completely clear, it was always going to be a matter of time. The end came 44 minutes after lunch as India were crushed by 217 runs.The Indian top order collapsed last night, and with just four wickets left, only the last rites were left. Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan batted in unfettered fashion and gave the Sunday crowd a lot to cheer. Both went about dismantling Shane Warne’s figures as his march towards the world record was halted. Warne went wicketless all morning, and will have to wait until Chennai for another chance to eclipse Muttiah Muralitharan’s tally.At the start of the day, though, the Indians waged a grim battle. Rahul Dravid faced only Warne while Pathan kept out Michael Kasprowicz at the other end. The only scoring shots in the first 12 overs were Dravid’s two fours off Warne and, like last night, he refused the singles. Pathan survived a large dose of fortune in the sixth over of the morning, edging an attempted drive off Kasprowicz, as Michael Clarke grassed a tough chance diving to his left at second slip. The rest of the time, though, Pathan got behind the line of the ball and blocked confidently.The Australians did their bit to break up the rhythm of the morning, and Adam Gilchrist’s juggling of bowlers and ends finally paid off when Kasprowicz nailed Dravid in the 14th over of the day. The ball pitched outside off, cut back in and trapped him lbw for 60 (118 for 7).

With Dravid gone, the tailenders played with unrestrained freedom and delayed the inevitable by a few hours. Pathan blasted two massive sixes over midwicket as he shimmied down the track, the second of which was taken brilliantly on the pavilion balcony as one of the spectators leant over the railings and clung on. He also pulled off some delicate sweeps and smart nudges and padded away a few balls from Warne with calm authority.Harbhajan joined in the fun by slog-sweeping Warne over midwicket. They added 72 rapidly before lunch, and went on to break the record for the highest ninth-wicket stand for India against Australia.Jason Gillespie ended the revelry a few overs after lunch, soon after the new ball was taken, as Pathan (55) played back to one that pitched on a good length. The ball kissed the outside edge and Adam Gilchrist did the rest (214 for 9). Harbhajan swished around a little longer, smacking one off McGrath that landed inches in front of the extra-cover fence, before a top-edged hook went straight to long leg.The batsmen were also largely helped by the attacking fields that the Australians set, with a number of men in the catching zones, and there were a few edges that landed in vacant areas. This was the only time in the game when the Australians didn’t mind conceding a few easy runs, as they had choked the rest of the batsmen with their disciplined approach.

Glenn McGrath carried on from where he had left off in the tour game in Mumbai, and was near-impossible to score off, while Kasprowicz’s ability to vary seam, length and pace left several batsmen clueless. The Australians religiously practised bowling at one stump before the start of each day’s play, and that was exactly the line that they consistently achieved throughout the game.The batting in the first innings had helped Australia seize the initiative as Clarke, Gilchrist and Simon Katich handled the spinners with ease. They didn’t find it as easy in the second innings, though, with Harbhajan teasing them with a magnificent spell. That, apart from the lower-order batting, is something that India will take with them to Chennai. The other departments, though, need some serious oiling. These may be early days yet, but Bill Lawry’s team of 1969-70 may just be shuffling in their seats.

If bygone generations of Indian fans were openlyenthralled by – and secretly coveted – an unendingline of Pakistani pacemen, so too will this generationof Pakistani fans come to appreciate and marvel at thecurrent generation of Indian batsmen and envy them. Ineach case, the enchantment, the fascination has been aderivative as much of their wondrous skills as aglaring paucity of similar resources.Who, for instance, in the Pakistani line-up, can matchthe sheer ballast of Virender Sehwag? Against Pakistanin this series, Sehwag has pillaged runs. Today, withminimum foot movement and fuss, as his is wont, andmaximum hand-eye coordination and threat, as is hisnature, he cut and drove at will, usually audaciouslyand imperiously.Arguably Inzamam-ul-Haq, now at his peak, possesses themastery over conditions and bowling as SachinTendulkar once did. Tendulkar provided a brief glimpse of his skill,passing his 10,000th run and compiling a composed 40thTest fifty. But the one batsman, the glittering jewelin a lavishly studded crown, that Pakistan must cravefor the most is Rahul Dravid.Last year, when Dravid compiled that immense 270 atRawalpindi, Yasir Hameed, standing at point, dropped asitter on 71. Hameed confessed later, onlyhalf-jokingly but revealingly, that he was takinglessons in watching a master at work. Those two daysin Rawalpindi, the sun beat down relentlessly, muchlike Eden Gardens today. As much as the heat, Dravid can be sapping on opposition bowlers.Ball after ball he repels with a painstakingly,composed and studious defense, standing up straightand tall for anything short and crouching forward toswat any mischief in the bounce or movement for fuller-length deliveries. And just in case he still getsbeaten by either, he brings soft hands into play,killing off any unnecessary edges. On this base, hebuilds.His first boundary against Abdul Razzaq was special,leaning into a wide, good-length delivery and drivingthrough just wide of mid-off. To bring up his 19thcentury late in the afternoon, he saved his best. WhenMohammad Sami, beginning an energetic spell, pitchedwide, he got down on one knee to steer through thecovers. Next ball, to bring up the landmark, he leantdown on a ball drifting onto middle and, with astraight bat and a twinkle of the wrists, drovebetween mid-on and midwicket. Many batsmen,particularly from this part of the world, would haveput it squarer, with exaggerated and more supplewrist work, but not Dravid.When he got something short enough, he recoiled;crouch down, step forward then lean back, move andposition the feet wide enough for balance, and uncoila cut, late or early. For effect, to highlight theextent of his mastery perhaps, he nonchalantly pickedup a legspinner from Kaneria outside off-stump overhis head for six, a rare result of any Dravid shot.For much of the day, there was little Pakistan’smeagre resources could do but watch the masterclass,hoping maybe to pick up a tip here or there. They werecommitted in the field and although their bowlingcurrently is unlikely to be anyone’s object of envy,you can’t fault it for perseverance. Shahid Afridiadded an unlikely chapter to the story of his recentredemption, hurrying batsmen, mixing his spin and paceand running onto the pitch twice for added drama.Supported well by Razzaq and, towards the end of the day, by Sami, they made up for an understandably fatiguedDanish Kaneria.But most noticeable, and as a parting thought,consider this. Pakistan’s fightback in the finalsession occurred without Inzamam on the field andYounis Khan as stand-in. You can put it down tocoincidence, as something that just happens incricket, or you can conclude that Pakistan’s rewardsin the last session were the result of theiremancipation from Inzamam’s lethargy as a leader.Certainly the verve and visible enthusiasm with whichYounis ran around the field, marshallingfielders, setting fields and talking regularly, almostexcessively, to his bowlers, contrasted starkly withInzamam. Was his vibrancy infectious enough for theteam to respond in kind and haul back what could havebeen a desperate situation? Or was it justhappenstance that this team, which in any case hasdeveloped a will to fight, most memorably and recentlyin Mohali, did so with Inzamam off the field?

Experience prevailed over youth as the star studded ONGC team pipped PCAColts XI by two wickets in the 7th JP Atray Memorial cricket tournament atthe PCA Stadium in Chandigarh today.The PCA Colts piled up a huge total of 318 for the loss of four wickets inthe allotted 50 overs. However ONGC managed to overhaul this challengingtotal for the loss of eight wickets with one over to spare.The Colts team opened through Gaganinder Garry and Ankur Kakkar. Theopening pair started off slowly, scoring 45 runs in the first 10 overs.Garry was first to go as he has caught brilliantly at gully, trying to cuta short delivery.Yuvraj Singh and Kakkar were in good nick. Yuvraj, fresh from his inclusionin the Indian team for the Nairobi tournament, placed the ball neatly inthe gaps. His knock of 60 included 10 elegant boundaries. Trying to boostthe scoring rate further, he was stumped off the bowling of VirinderShewag. By then he had put his team in a strong position as they were 142runs after 26 overs for the loss of only two wickets.Kakkar carried on merrily at the other end and completed his 50 off 72balls. The brightest part of the innings came when Pankaj Dharmani andSanjay Kumar came together at the crease with the score at 190 at the endof 35 overs. The two added 96 runs off just 77 balls. Dharmani was in fullflow as he smashed an unbeaten 96 off just 76 deliveries. He hit 12powerful boundaries and a huge six. Sanjay Kumar gave him good support insmashing 50 runs off 45 balls.ONGC XI got off to a flying start as openers Gagan Khoda and Sandeep Sharmahammered 80 runs off just 56 balls. Sandeep was in fine form, slamming 50runs off just 29 balls which included nine hits to the fence. Khoda alsoscored at a run a ball for his knock of 34. After the fall of these twowickets, ONGC lost three more wickets cheaply and they were down in thedumps at 117 for five. Mithun Minhas and Shewag however took the team outof the woods. Both scored half centuries to take the team to the doorstepof victory. Towards the end Md. Saif took charge with an unblemished 52runs off 62 balls to clinch the issue in favour of his team. Yuvraj Singhand Vineet Kumar tried their level best to change the course of the matchin their favour, but despite capturing three wickets each for 47 and 66runs respectively, they could not. Shewag was declared man of the match.

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Sunny Singh completed a fine hundred and put Haryana on the road to the Plate Group final. Sunny’s tenacious 137 and valuable contributions from the lower order took Haryana to a healthy 453 in the semi-final against Jharkhand in Chandigarh. Sachin Rana stroked a plucky 83 and had two good partnerships with Ajay Ratra (40) and Amit Mishra (47). The day got better for Haryana when they snapped up two Jharkhand wickets in the four overs that they got before stumps.
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It turned out to be another damp day at Dharamsala with only seven overs of play possible between Himachal Pradesh and Services. Himachal were 9 for no loss when play was called off due to bad light. In case there is no result in the game, the winner will be decided by the toss of a coin.