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Scorecard

An uncharacteristically dour hundred from Chris Gayle prevented another day of embarrassment for West Indies, but Bangladesh wasted a golden opportunity to press home the advantage built on the first two days as they spilt no fewer than nine catches. By the close of another damp day in St Lucia, West Indies were 262 for 5, with Gayle unbeaten on 110.The day began with Pedro Collins wrapping up Bangladesh’s innings early when Mohammad Rafique played on driving outside off for 111. Bangladesh’s total was their highest ever.Gayle, usually the flamboyant strokemaker, played a subdued innings with only rare sightings of his trademark drives and cuts. He was helped by Bangladesh’s generosity – he was dropped on 24, 28 and 47 – and his decision to adopt the anchor role was partially caused by his involvement in a farcical run-out at the top of the innings.In the second over, Gayle pushed Tareq Aziz to point and Smith called for a sharp, but feasible, single. But he was sent back by a late call from Gayle, and Faisal Hussain’s throw was well gathered by Aziz and Smith was left well short of safety (2 for 1).Ramnaresh Sarwan took up the challenge, and with Gayle took the score to 89 before he fell for a sucker punch. He hooked a bouncer from Tapash Baisya for six, and Habibul Bashar ostentatiously moved Rafique to deep square leg. Baisya sent down another bouncer, Sarwan top-edged the hook, and the ball went straight down Rafique’s throat. It showed a lack of intelligence bordering on the reckless and was the eighth time that Sarwan, who made 40, has perished hooking.Brian Lara gave every sign that he was going to entertain the small crowd, unleashing some crisp drives and cuts before he tried to run Mushfiqur Rahman to third man and edged behind to Khaled Mashud for 53 (162 for 3); when Shivnarine Chanderpaul fell to Rafique for 7, also caught by Mashud, West Indies were wobbling (183 for 4).But the catches kept being put down, and Dwayne Smith made a breezy 42 before undoing much of the good work by clubbing Rafique to Aziz in the deep as the gloom descended. The timing of his dismissal would not have pleased the coach even if his innings did.But Gayle remained, reaching his hundred near the end of the day, and in so doing ensuring that today wasn’t as wretched as it might have been.

Shane Warne is raring to go, even if not 100% fit, spurred on by a belief that time is running out and that every chance to play has to be seized.Speaking at a press conference in Melbourne to confirm that he is fit to face Sri Lanka in the forthcoming Test series, Warne admitted that the clock was ticking, and that he had to take advantage of the absence of Muttiah Muralitharan. Warne, currently on 517 wickets, needs just 11 more to break Murali’s world record.Warne said that he was disappointed by Muralitharan’s decision to stay away, but admitted that it handed him an opportunity. “Murali’s only 32, so he’s probably going to play for another five or six years and if he keeps taking 70, 80 wickets a year he’s going to be pretty close to 1000 when he retires. I don’t think I’ll get anywhere near 1000, so I might have to jump on this opportunity in the next couple of Test matches and get some wickets.”I might get on the phone to Punter [Ricky Ponting] and make sure he bowls me at Nos. 9, 10 and 11 or something like that.”And Warne admitted that the prospect of breaking a world record was a tremendous incentive. “It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to do that,” he smiled. “To get the most wickets ever in the history of the game, it’s a carrot that’s dangling for two Test matches, and that’s pretty exciting.”Although his left hand, which he broke while batting for Hampshire, remains bandaged, Warne is confident that he will not be restricted by it come the first Test at Darwin on July 1. “It will be a little bit like if you get punched in the leg and you’re a bit bruised, it doesn’t stop anything you actually do, but there’s still a little bit of discomfort,” he said. “So as far as I’m concerned, it’s all good news.”

Balaji’s control
Lakshmipathy Balaji returned to international cricket with a bang, dismissing five Pakistani batsmen by sticking to the basics. He has often spoken of his reliance on accuracy and on the first day he had the numbers to prove it. His discipline against the right-handers was impeccable. He pitched 97% of his balls were on or outside the off stump, tying down the batsmen and making them play at deliveries that cut and swung marginally. While Zaheer Khan and Irfan Pathan were fiery and swung it more, Balaji’s dedication to the rudiments fetched him 5 for 76.

Inzamam’s cool
From the first few balls of his innings, it was clear that Inzamam-ul-Haq was in great touch. Where his openers struggled to lay bat on ball, he played swinging deliveries with time to spare. The result was that he and Taufeeq Umar steadied the team after their rocky beginning, and even after Umar’s dismissal, he carried on with such comfort that nearly 70% of all the deliveries he faced hit the middle of his bat. Even more remarkably, he was beaten only 2% of the time during his stay on a pitch that afforded the bowlers huge swing.

As the pitch dried up and the ball swung less, Pakistan’s in-control percentage against the bowlers rose in the afternoon and then fell. This had much to do with some loose batting by the lower-middle order and the tail as well as accurate bowling.

Pathan v ZaheerBoth Pathan and Zaheer swung the ball in their first spells, but Zaheer seemed the more hostile, the more likely to make a breakthrough. He induced numerous edges off the bat and conceded three times as many runs as Pathan in the morning, but as the day went by, Pathan began pitching the balls in the right areas and made the batsmen play.

Zaheer continued to bowl with hostility throughout the day but could not discomfort the batsmen as he had in the morning. As a result, the in-control percentage of the batsmen against him rose: they were not in control of 17.1% of the time against Zaheer, while the figure bloated to 29.3% against Pathan.

Sir Paul Getty, the owner of Wisden and its associated companies, died earlier today in the London Clinic. He was 70, and had been ill for some time. He was admitted to hospital on Monday for treatment to a recurrent chest infection, but died on Thursday morning, according to Dr John Goldstone, his consultant.In a short statement issued on behalf of the Getty family and the London Clinic, Dr Goldstone said: “Sadly Sir Paul passed away at 10.40am today. His family would like to extend their thanks to all those who have expressed their sympathy, which is greatly appreciated.”Despite his American roots Sir Paul Getty had been happily settled in England for many years, during which time his passions – which included films, the theatre and books – expanded to include cricket. He established a beautiful ground of his own at Wormsley, his country estate in Buckinghamshire. In 1993 he acquired John Wisden, the company that produces Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack each year, and he also retained a controlling interest in Wisden Cricket Monthly magazine and the Wisden CricInfo website.All at Wisden are extremely saddened to hear the news, and have passed their condolences to the Getty family.

West Indies arrived in New Zealand on Friday on their latest mission overseas, yet again weighed down by a burden of their own making. The consequences are likely to be the same as those that overwhelmed them twice in Australia and once in Sri Lanka last year.In each case, the spectre of the row between the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) and the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) hovered destructively over the cricket. The upshot was inevitable. An unsettled team managed only one victory in six matches in the VB Series in Australia and was knocked out after the first round. By the time Sri Lanka came around six months later, the wound had been allowed to fester to such an extent that a makeshift team, under a changed captain, was sent while the majority of dissatisfied leading players remained at home. The replacements lost both Tests and three of four ODIs-and even that was better than expected.While the standoff between the WICB and the WIPA was finally ended, shamefully by the intervention of foreign mediators, and the team that ventured to Australia in October for the series of three Tests was the strongest available, the time was too short to expect players on opposite sides of the divide only weeks earlier to be suddenly united again. The discord was evident to everyone close to the tour and to those watching the 3-0 drubbing through their television sets on the other side of the globe. It was subsequently borne out by captain Shivnarine Chanderpaul’s scarcely veiled hints (“There is not much I can do, really. There are a lot of things coming from inside”) that he and coach Bennett King, the two supposed leaders, didn’t see eye to eye. These were issues that, in the past, would have been aired, and cleared, at a debriefing involving captain, coach and manager before a properly constituted cricket committee of the WICB.The problem was that, over the years, the WICB’s directors paid little heed to such a committee and it duly disappeared. So Chanderpaul, King and manager Tony Howard went their separate ways after the tour while public criticism, and cynicism, mounted.Into the vacuum stepped Chetram Singh, president of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB), with a proposal to establish a committee to review the work of King and his all-Australian crew and establish whether they were worth their annual US$1 million salary. Singh is the WICB’s longest-serving director. As such, he would have been party to the hiring of the coaching staff 15 months earlier, the size of the salary and the conditions of employment, all of which he would have reported back to the GCB. He may not be the only one now questioning the collective decision but, in any competent organisation, such a performance review of staff is a routine, internal matter.Not so the WICB. With much fanfare, it acceded to Singh’s submission with the appointment of a special panel of renowned former players and mandated it to report back by February 15. It was seemingly unaware of the irony that the date coincides with the start of the New Zealand tour and of the impact such a pointed, widely publicised investigation could have on the coach’s authority and, by extension, on the captain and the team.So no sooner than the damaging divergence of the row over sponsorship and disputed clauses in tour contracts fades into the background than this new, wearisome issue takes its place. As it is, Chanderpaul, King and the players already have enough to occupy their attention in New Zealand.If their opponents are palpably not as powerful as their neighbours across the Tasman Sea, they have a strong record at home, not least against West Indies teams that have ventured there over the past 55 years. The West Indies’ previous visit, six years ago, was one of their most disastrous, even in the decade of decline. Defeat in both Tests and all five one-day internationals so depressed Brian Lara that he resigned the captaincy and took time off from the game to consider his future. The challenge is just as daunting this time.The West Indies are firmly lodged at the bottom of the eight genuine international teams in both forms of the game, with a win-loss record of 1-8 in Tests and 2-15 in ODIs in the past year. The incomparable Lara, the linchpin of the batting, has declared himself unavailable for the ODIs as he seeks to extend his Test career at the age 36 and the most effective bowlers of the recent past are all missing-Corey Collymore and Pedro Collins through injury, Jermaine Lawson through the enforced change of action that has significantly cut his pace.The only bowler available with a Test average of less than 40 is Dwayne Bravo, an ebullient young all-rounder of immense potential but, as yet, only nine Tests. Fidel Edwards (53 Test wickets at 45 runs each), Daren Powell (39 at 42) and Jerome Taylor (three at 72) are the faster men expected to provide the cutting edge. Ian Bradshaw and Rawl Lewis, both 31, are two seasoned campaigners in regional cricket who are likely to shoulder considerable responsibility. But Bradshaw is yet to play a Test and Lewis last briefly presented his leg-breaks and googlies in Test cricket seven years ago.Until Lara joins for the Tests, the batting must revolve around Chanderpaul (91 Tests), vice-captain Ramnaresh Sarwan (58) and Chris Gayle (54). The others lack either experience or statistical credentials or both. It is a chance for Daren Ganga (probably the last), Runako Morton (realistically the first) and Devon Smith to show that they are Test batsmen worthy of the title and for Bravo and Denesh Ramdin to build on the reputations they have quickly forged in their brief careers.With the World Cup 13 months away, the one-day series, against tough opponents, is the first genuine chance since the VB Series in Australia a year ago to sort out combinations and assess individuals. Another 15 such matches-at home against Zimbabwe and India at home, away against Pakistan-are available to determine a settled team, imperative in advance of the tournament. In this regard, Dwayne Smith will be keenly assessed. He has been given every opportunity but he is yet to fulfil his obvious potential to become the West Indies’ Shahid Afridi, a potential match-winner with his fierce hitting, electric fielding and steady bowling. The selectors’ patience may be running out.They won’t have to contend, as they did a few months back, with Australia’s power-packed batting or the pace of Brett Lee, the Chinese-torture of Glenn McGrath and wizardry of Shane Warne, but Stephen Fleming leads a handy team all the same.It was always going to be a tricky assignment. By tossing in its latest distraction, the WICB has made it even more so.

Hampshire Cricket will leave their final selection for the opening Frizzell Championship Division Two match until the morning of the game, starting on Friday (16th April) against Durham.The have chosen a squad of 13 players, as manager Paul Terry and new captain Shane Warne will decide the final eleven after inspecting the pitch.Michael Brown, Hampshire’s new opening batsman from Middlesex, Michael Clarke the exiting young Australian and Billy Taylor who returned to Hampshire from Sussex are all hoping to make their first-class debut for Hampshire.The Hampshire 13 are: Michael Brown, Derek Kenway, John Crawley, Michael Clarke, Will Kendall, Nic Pothas )wicket-keeper), Dimitri Mascarenhas, Shane Warne (captain), Shaun Udal, Chris Tremlett, James Tomlinson, Billy Taylor and Alan Mullally.

Alamgir Sheriyar has been handed the chance to resurrect his career with Leicestershire offering him a short trial. He has joined the club, where he began his first-class career in 1994, for the rest of their pre-season preparations and will be given the opportunity to show what he can do in an early season match.”He is one of a number of seam bowlers we are having a look at because we need to strengthen that department,” Tim Boon, Leicestershire’s coach, told the club’s website. “A decision on whether he stays with us won’t be made until we’ve had an opportunity to look at him in a match.”Sheriyar, 32, has taken 503 first-class wickets but was released by Kent at the end of the last season. He only played 11 matches for Leicestershire in his first stint at the club, before enjoying more success with Worcestershire during which time he earned an England A call-up.Leicestershire have lost five seam bowlers over the winter with Ottis Gibson and Charl Willoughby moving to new teams, while Charlie Dagnall and David Brignull where released and Phil DeFreitas retired.

It may not have been all that tough for Shivnarine Chanderpaul to relinquish the West Indies captaincy. Except for any superficial damage to his ego, it was his only real option after a turbulent year in which he enjoyed only one Test victory and two one-day wins. Would it have been any different if he and his team had held their nerve and won the first Test against New Zealand at Eden Park?Probably, but the fact that they didn’t reinforced the belief that this is a side that has become so accustomed to losing that they are almost paralysed by anxiety in a tight situation. The fact that there is no obvious successor, and really hasn’t been for the last five years, speaks volumes, not just about the parlous state of the game, but the quality of individuals being produced by West Indian societies.Despite all of that, the West Indies Cricket Board must announce the new captain sooner rather than later. We can do without all sorts of wild speculation over the coming days, especially with the start of the seven-match limited-over series against Zimbabwe just two weeks away.Even if I still believe that Wavell Hinds will do a good job, I have to concede that going the way of picking a captain who is not an automatic selection in the final XI is unprecedented in contemporary West Indies cricket and would probably create more problems that it solves. For all of his apparent reluctance to take on the responsibility, too much time, money and effort has been invested in Ramnaresh Sarwan for him not to recognise that he has a duty to step up to the challenge if called upon.As vice-captain for most of the last three years and an established batsman in the middle-order, the 25-year-old “veteran” has enjoyed a free ride-seniority without real responsibility-for long enough. It may bring the best out of him and we will all say why the decision wasn’t made earlier. The other side of the coin, of course, is that the burden of leading a team that will still be losing much more than winning for some time could take a toll on his confidence and his batting, much in the same way as Chanderpaul has been affected.But like ending one footballer’s World Cup dream in a month’s time, tough decisions have to be made with an eye to the future. Unlike the legal profession, you can’t opt for a course of action, lose and then interpret it as a victory. Only politicians and their rabid following fall for that nonsense.

Bangladesh have named their 15-man squad for the World Cup and, as widely predicted, they have left out their experienced wicketkeeper Khaled Mashud and chosen Mushfiqur Rahim, who performed well on the recent tour of Zimbabwe.Habibul Bashar, the captain, said that he was looking forward to the tournament. “I was a member of the World Cup team four years back and then we had hardly any ambition rather than playing good cricket,” he said. “The scenario is totally changed now after we have already won a number of matches in the recent past.””We are going to the World Cup with lot of confidence this time, especially after the away series victory and definitely our target is to make a second round berth. We know it will not be an easy task to beat at least one team like India and Sri Lanka to make our dream come true. But I think there is hardly any meaning to our trip if we have no target. I will not be surprised if my team beat any big fish in the competition.”Bangladesh squad Habibul Bashar (capt), Shariar Nafees, Tamim Iqbal, Aftab Ahmed, Saqibul Hasan, Mohammad Ashraful, Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), Mohammad Rafique, Abdur Razzak, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shahadat Hossain, Tapash Baisya, Syed Rasel, Rajin Saleh, Javed Omar.

Scorecard
If Michael Vaughan’s England side was let off the hook by bad light in Faisalabad, then the – or verdict – on the women’s side against India on the final day at Delhi was slightly more heartening. Resolute batting from Charlotte Edwards (46), the captain, Arran Brindle (46), and Jenny Gunn (32) staved off defeat and thwarted India’s bid for a maiden Test win against England, Edwards’ side finishing the day on 210 for 6.The Indian women gave nothing away though. The fielding was enthusiastic, the bowling tight, but in the end the resolve of the English batsmen shone over all else. Veteran spinner Neetu David consistently found turn from a slow pitch, and she beat the bat on numerous occasions. Nooshin Al Khader, however, was the pick of the bowlers, sending down 32 miserly overs for just 30 runs, picking up the wickets of Laura Newton, Clair Taylor and Lydia Greenway to stymie England’s run chase.Earlier, England’s batsmen produced a good morning session by adding 109 to their overnight 3 for 0, with Edwards standing tall with a 94-ball 46. She was eventually out, leg before, to the persistent Jhulan Goswami, with England 73 for 3. Brindle and Gunn then added 73 for the fourth wicket before Brindle was run out for 46 as the scoring rate slowed. She hit four boundaries as well as the solitary six of the match, but was unlucky to be dismissed just four short of a deserved fifty. Her dismissal, on the stroke of tea, meant England were 146 for 4, still 165 runs adrift of their target.At this stage, Mithali Raj, India’s captain, used an attacking field to try and put pressure on England, and the efforts of her fielders would have pleased her. A hard punch down the ground just after lunch by Gunn was met by a diving mid-off fielder, saving a certain boundary. Al Khader struck again to have Greenway caught by Raj for a laborious 6 off 51 deliveries, and England looked in trouble at this stage.Yet, as it became evident that a win was out of reach, Rosalie Birch and Laura Harper put their heads down and avoided any further checks to their progress. A loud appeal for a very close lbw against Harper was turned down by umpire RD Singh – to the clear frustration of Al Khader – but it was to be the last tense image on a day in which determination was the name of the game.Goswami was eventually adjudged Man of the Match for her spirited showing with the bat and ball throughout the match.