A Baggy Green cap worn by Keith Miller in the 1954-55 Ashes series has been sold at auction for Aus$35,000 (US$26,000). The successful bidder paid almost double the amount expected.Among other items to go under the hammer were the Baggy Green worn by Wally Grout throughout his Test career sold for $27,000 (US$20,000), while another worn by Tim Wall, who played 18 Tests between 1928 and 1932, fetched $14,500 (US$10,500).A fourth cap, owned by Geoff Dymock, did not attract the reserve price.”It’s pretty unusual to have Baggy Greens for auction at anytime, to have four it’s just remarkable,” said Charles Leski, the auctioneer.

South Africa’s cricketers reacted angrily to suggestions that seniorplayers had bullied the younger ones into going along with the decision toreturn home from the tour of Sri Lanka. They were also fuming about thelocal media coverage of the withdrawal, with one prominent local dailycarrying the back-page headline ‘South African cricketers chicken out’.Another, the Daily Mirror published out of Colombo alleged thatMark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Makhaya Ntini, Andrew Hall, Andre Nel andMickey Arthur, the coach, were instrumental in the South Africans decidingto go home. The article also suggested that the decision had less todo with security, and more to do with their 2-0 loss in the Test series,and a fear of similar disappointments in the one-day games.”It was a decision taken by everyone,” said AB de Villiers, one of theyounger players that had a lot to gain by playing here. “It was anopportunity for the young guys to play a few games in subcontinentconditions [with the Champions Trophy just two months away], and it’sunfortunate that it won’t happen. I’m prepared to give everything whileplaying for South Africa, but not my life.”de Villiers also said that those who criticised the team weren’t aware ofthe facts of the matter. “It’s nonsense to judge someone without beinghere in their situation. We’re foreigners here, not knowing what’s goingon, and with bombs going off near us. The security guys are telling us togo home, and that’s good enough for me.”Boucher, who was expected to captain the side during the one-day series,was incensed by the coverage, not least because it was his face that wasprominently displayed beneath the chicken headline. “It’s disappointing,”he said, “and there’s not much that you can do once such stuff ispublished.”Loots Bosman, the 29-year-old opening bat who was expected to get hischance here in Graeme Smith’s absence, was probably the man with most togain had South Africa stayed on. But he insisted that there was going to be only one decision after the team’s security advisors told them the risk was untenable.”Obviously, the whole situation is about safety,” he told Cricinfo. “It’snot a junior-senior issue. On the cricketing front, it’s unfortunate, butI can’t do much about it or have any control over such situations. MaybeI’ll get an opportunity to represent South Africa again.”Having fielded calls all day regarding the alleged split within the ranks,Gordon Templeton, the team’s media manager, also didn’t mince words whenasked his opinion about the stories called by the and the . “Those with anything between their ears, and who understandcricket, would find such stories utterly laughable.”The team leaves Colombo on Friday morning, flying to Johannesburg via HongKong, but the ill-feeling that they leave behind may linger for some time.

The cricket world as a whole might not know – or, being brutally honest, care – but a five-match one-day series between Zimbabwe and Bangladesh kicks off at Harare Sports Club on Saturday. Despite international indifference, the series matters very much to the participants.Through the vagaries of the way it is calculated, the ICC ODI rankings show Zimbabwe are ranked in ninth, one place above Bangladesh. This series could change all that, as anything other than victory for Zimbabwe will mean they are leapfrogged by their visitors.Bangladesh start as odds-on favourites, and a 5-0 whitewash is not inconceivable. Zimbabwe come into these matches on the back of 15 consecutive ODI defeats against Full Member countries, and their last home series was a dispiriting 2-2 draw with Kenya in March. On paper, Bangladesh are not much better, with two wins in their last 15, but that includes their memorable victory over Australia at Cardiff and some promising Test performances.Zimbabwe’s problems have been well documented and they are still consolidating after the divisive and destructive internal battles of the last two years. What is unclear is whether they have reached their nadir or are still in freefall. This series will make that clear.So confused remains the situation inside the country’s cricket that Zimbabwe Cricket did not name a squad until less than 18 hours before the first game, and when it did, it was under a new captain – Prosper Utseya – as the hapless Terry Duffin, who had been in the country less than 24 hours after flying in from England, had been fired.The last time Zimbabwe played was in the Caribbean in May, when despite being beaten 5-0 they showed flickers of life. If they can build on that – and they do have home advantage, even if that does only equate to a few hundred die-hards at each match – then perhaps they can buy their beleaguered board some time and stave off calls for them to be slung out of the top flight.Bangladesh, meanwhile, had intended to start this series after a three-game stopover in Kenya, but those matches were switched to the end of the Zimbabwe trip and so they have only had four days to acclimatise. They did have a warm-up on Wednesday, and the indications were that they had shaken off the effects of a gruelling 31-hour journey from Dhaka.Man for man, they are the better and more experienced side, and they possess enough firepower to blast through Zimbabwe’s top order. In Mohammad Rafique they have a spinner who could prove a match-winner. It is also hard to see their worldly-wise batsmen being too troubled by Zimbabwe’s pop-gun attack, Ed Rainsford being the only seam bowler of any reasonable quality.If Kevin Curran, Zimbabwe’s coach, has managed to bring together a previously divided team then Zimbabwe might, just might, be able to spring a surprise or two. If they can’t do that at home to the only side the ICC says is worse than they are, then they finally – and officially – will have hit rock bottom.

Inzamam-ul-Haq has been charged with bringing the game into disrepute along with changing the condition of the ball and, if found guilty, faces a ban of up to eight ODIs or four Tests. The ICC have confirmed that Inzamam will face a Code of Conduct hearing on Friday in London.Both Inzamam’s charges will be considered during a hearing to be conducted by the ICC chief match referee Ranjan Madugalle. Madugalle has been appointed to chair the hearing because Mike Procter, the match referee at The Oval, was involved in the incidents that took place on Sunday afternoon and is likely to be asked to present evidence to the hearing.Inzamam has been charged, as captain, with a breach of level 2.10 of the ICC code which relates to changing the condition of the ball in breach of Law 42.3 of the Laws of Cricket.This charge was brought by Billy Doctrove and Darrell Hair, the on-field umpires, on Sunday. If Inzamam is found guilty of breaching this provision he faces a fine of between 50 and 100% of his match fee and/or a one-Test or two-ODI ban.Inzamam has also been charged with a breach of C2 at level 3 of the code which relates to conduct that brings the player or the game into disrepute. This charge was brought by Doctrove and Hair, along with Peter Hartley and Trevor Jesty, the third and fourth umpires, following a meeting on Monday morning.If Inzamam is found guilty, an appeal must be made within 24 hours and he would be allowed to continue playing until that has been heard.

On a day when Bangladesh toasted their first Nobel Prize winner, thecricket team provided them with more good news, signing out of theChampions Trophy with a convincing win. Looked at in a certain manner, there is more than coincidence here. Muhammad Yunus, an economist, set up Grameen Bank and transformed his nation’s countryside. As for the Bangladesh side they are sponsored byGrameen Phone, a sister concern to the Grameen Bank. Talk of how better infrastructure and corporate sponsorship impacts performance.Shahriar Nafees, the architect of the win, batted like one inspired. He’spart of the upbeat and more confident generation who face teams head on.Just 28 one-dayers old and he’s already crossed fifty on five occasionsand made two hundreds, unlike any other Bangladeshi. Added to that is aTest hundred against the mighty Australians.Dav Whatmore had no doubt that the current crop came with a moreaggressive outlook, more fearless attitude. “It’s not a criticism of theolder guys,” he said at the end of the day, “they’ve done a lot forBangladesh cricket. But the younger guys seem to play with a lot lesspressure. They play for the day; they have some skill and a strong desire.They now have to show they can do it against the bigger teams.”Shahriar doesn’t seem to come to the crease with any sort of baggage.Against West Indies, he slapped the first ball for four, square-cutting itwith some venom. Such an approach has caused his downfall at times but ifyou’re instincts are to whack, you might as well go for it. Today henearly fell before scoring, surviving a dropped chance at cover afterscooping at a wide one, but cashed in by gritting it out. For the nexthour, it appeared as if he was atoning for that early indiscretion -grafting to his fifty off 92 balls.”It wasn’t an easy wicket to bat on,” Shahriar said, “and I just wanted tomake sure I batted for as long as possible. It would not have been easyfor a new batsman to get set and score immediately.” Soon he began toexpress himself. The next 73 came off 69, with Prosper Utseya being tonkedalong the way. There weren’t any half measures – down the track, dash;back-foot, punch; inside out, whack; through the line, pelt. He cramped uptowards the end but hobbled on, smashed a few more fours and ended notout.A student of Business Management, Shahriar’s development as a cricketer isa tribute to the junior system in Bangladesh. He’s someone who was spottedearly – in fact, he and Ashraful attended the same talent-spotting camp -and was nursed into international cricket. “He’s enjoyed the opportunityto tour other countries before he got the chance with the national team,”Whatmore added, “and has received valuable instructions at theacademy and A levels.”Shahriar and gang are just the early products of Bangladesh’s professionalsystem. It may not be too long before a tap is opened and if a bit ofsteel is added to the abundance of talent, Bangladesh may well be on theright track.

MTN Domestic Championship

A fine allround performance from Zander de Bruyn handed the Warriors a tight 12-run win over the Eagles at Goodyear Park on Friday, and booked their place in the final of the Championship. After losing HD Ackerman for a duck, de Bruyn and Robin Peterson steadied the innings with a fine partnership of 75. Once de Bruyn departed for a patient, anchor-like 62 the Warriors’ innings rather fell away to 241 for 8. However, Makhaya Ntini took two wickets in his first two overs to leave the Eagles’ top order struggling – despite 50 from Loots Bosman. It was de Bruyn who made the difference in the end, removing Bosman and picking up two more at crucial times. Fittingly, he effected the run out of Thandi Tshabalala to seal the match. However, de Bruyn, the captain, might be forced to miss the final against Cape Cobras this Friday due to his side’s slow over-rate against the Eagles.A brisk 50 from Vernon Philander and five wickets from Alan Dawson sealed an easy five-wicket win for Cape Cobras over the Dolphins at Newlands who now join the Warriors in Friday’s final. Dawson ripped through the top order to reduce the Dolphins to 64 for 5. In spite of a fighting fifty from Hashim Amla, they collapsed to an uncompetitive 191. However Johann Louw and Shaun Pollock both struck to leave the Cobras in trouble at 72 for 4 – Pollock removing Herschelle Gibbs for just 3 – before Philander and Ashwell Prince (40*) saw the Cobras home with more than six overs spare.

SAA Provincial Challenge

A fine spell of 5 for 48 in 11 overs from Alan Kruger helped Griqualand West crush Limpopo by 8 wickets at Kimberley. Griqualand held a useful first innings lead of 74, thanks to Adrian McLaren’s 131 and a magnificent, brisk 158 not out from Mohammad Akoojee. Limpopo capitulated meekly in their second innings, limping to 64 for 5 with Kruger ripping out the top order. Johannes Shokane and Pieter Haasbroek offered some resistance, in the process setting Griqualand 39 runs to win, but they cantered to victory in the eighth over for the loss of two wickets.Western Province romped to what was, in the end, a comprehensive victory over South Western Districts in a low-scoring encounter at Cape Town. Mark de Stadler rocked the South Western Districts batting with 5 for 22 as they declared on 103 for 9. Western Province didn’t fare much better in reply and they were indebted to a gutsy 60 from Myles Williamson to salvage a vital first innings lead of 23. Enter Quinton Friend and Colin Birch who left South Western Districts’ second innings in tatters at 26 for 5, before ending their nightmare on 107 to leave Western Province needing just 85 to win. Williamson again batted aggressively to take them over the line, with good support from Bob Homani (21) and Alistair Gray (33).

SAA Provincial Cup

Adrian McLaren’s maiden one-day hundred, an innings bristling with intent and bravado, led Griqualand West to a convincing six-wicket win over Limpopo at Kimberley on Saturday. McLaren’s hundred, from just 109 balls with 16 fours, was a lone effort; five of their top six failed to reach double figures and at one point Griqualand were 49 for 5 in the 18th over. McLaren refused to be contained, lifting three sixes while also receiving good support from Frans Holtzhausen and Alan Kruger whose lovely cameo of 37 injected vital pace in the final five overs. Chasing 250, Limpopo began encouragingly with Sonnyboy Letshele smashing 62 at better than a run-a-ball – but he received scant support as Anthony Mabuya’s slow left-arm-spin ran through the lower-order. Limpopo were finally dismissed for 203 in the 39th over.John Geoghegan’s highest one-day score enabled Western Province to record a simple six-wicket win over South Western Districts at Cape Town on Saturday. Chasing 176, the openers Myles Williamson and Bob Homani fell cheaply before Geoghegan’s stablising innings; Mark de Stadler propped up the other end with a patient 39 as Western Province reached their target with more than eight overs to spare.

Scorecard

Thirteen years ago, Chandrasekhar Raghu was just another cricketer. They come in dozens in India, rushing home after school, picking up a cheap bat and rushing to join the neighbourhood tennis-ball . It’s all very simple: whack the ball, indulge in a bit of hit-and-giggle, and retire home at sunset to bury your face in homework. It doesn’t happen to most young enthusiasts, but something changed, for the better, where Raghu is concerned.When he was 11, a neighbour who happened to be the secretary for the local Hanumant Nagar Cricket Club, picked him out of the street cricket milieu and invited him to come and practise at the club. “I owe a lot to Balaji,” Raghu told Cricinfo at the end of the first day’s play at Mysore’s Gangothri Glades Ground. From there his journey to state-level cricket started. Soon he was playing for under-13 cricket.Was he afraid of the leather ball, having never played before? “No,” he says with a smile, “I just used to go out and play.” But that’s where my transformation as a bowler happened. I used to be just a batsman but suddenly I discovered that with the leather ball, I could bowl pretty useful offspin.” In fact, Raghu played in an under-19 tournament as a spinner.Even though he found his touch as a batsman and became prolific at the league level, where he used to bat at No. 3 or 4, at the Ranji Trophy level he was still treated as a bowler. He admits, “I used to play at No. 8 for Karnataka, and they used to consider me as an ODI player.” An average of 12.72 in 10 first-class matches is a proof of that. “I was very disappointed in those times. I used to bat at No. 3 or 4 in the leagues, but when it came to playing for Karnataka, I would be relegated down the order and treated as a bowler. I never used to get a chance to prove myself. It was very tough. I was stagnating.”Others’ misfortune, as it would turn out, gave Raghu the opportunity he was looking for. “I was feeling very down but then suddenly two or three batsmen flopped last season and I got my chance.” And he grabbed it. Two centuries and a fifty in the P Subbiah Pillai tournament in February 2006. He rates his 117 against Hyderabad in that tournament, as his best and the turning point of his career. All of a sudden the bowler was publicly recognised as an allrounder.There were other innings that Raghu remembers fondly. “I got a hundred against Western Australia recently,” he said. “I wanted to prove to the selectors that I can do well in three-day matches. Those knocks gave me confidence – and possibly the selectors too.” It definitely did. Within months, he was picked for the Challenger Series where the best young talents in the country get a chance to play with senior cricketers.Raghu is one of those batsmen that make the game look easy; lazy elegance seeps through his batting. Though he admits otherwise – “I don’t think I am lazy, it looks like that to others” – Raghu has been a victim of his own fluent batting style. “Yes, so many times I have got out like that,” he said. “When playing very well, I would think this bowler is easy to play and I have got out trying few things. I used to get 30, 40 quickly and then get out. I have matured now. That’s why I maintain this is a mental game. Now I am learning to play to big innings.”His preference is to keep the ball on the ground but he remains a busy player, constantly looking for singles. While Joginder Sharma, who grabbed seven wickets in Haryana’s match against Andhra – including a hat-trick – was troubling some of the other batsmen today with his bounce off a length, Raghu played him with ease.So what does he think when he stands at the crease waiting for the ball to be released? “Nothing,” comes the answer with a smile. “I keep my mind blank, I don’t think about anything.” Sensible ploy. Like many Indian batsmen, he makes his living off the front foot. Without disagreeing, he says today it was part of a plan: “I thought on this pitch – it was keeping low at times – it was better to get on to the front foot. I got out playing the wrong line though”.One other amazing thing about him is that he has never had a batting coach. So where did this pleasing stroke play come from? “There was no coach, I just play like this,” he said. “No one taught me how to play. This game is played more in the mind. Its 70% mental. Venkatesh Prasad [the Karnataka coach] has helped to improve on the mental aspect. My aim is to score runs and I go about finding ways of doing that. I just play ball by ball, I don’t think much.”For Raghu, each day is taken in his stride. “I am sticking to the present,” he said. “I just have to do well in the Ranji Trophy as I want Karnataka to be the Ranji Champions. I want to score at least three centuries this season. I am not thinking too much ahead, just want to stick to the process.”

Ian Bell, England’s designated No. 3 batsman, is expected to be passed fit for the first Test at Brisbane tomorrow, after coming through a practice session 24 hours after being struck a painful blow on the left wrist. An ECB statement said that a final decision would be made on the morning of the match.Bell, who had been batting in the nets against James Anderson, was given ice treatment and taken away for a precautionary X-ray, which revealed heavy bruising but no fracture.England had been optimistic all along that the injury was nothing serious. “It would be a blow [if he missed out],” admitted Andrew Strauss yesterday, “but we are talking about hypotheticals. From what I’ve seen it won’t prevent him playing. The nets had a little bit of extra bounce, but they are very, very good, probably the best we’ve seen this tour.”If Bell was to be ruled out, then Strauss’s Middlesex team-mate, Ed Joyce, would be thrust into the starting line-up, just days since arriving in the country as a replacement for Marcus Trescothick.”For me, Ed’s greatest strength is his ability to keep a cool head under pressure,” said Strauss. “So, if there’s any guy I know who’ll be well set to make a debut, it’s him. It’s a big ask, but everyone know’s he’s a quality player. Even so, we’re very hopeful that Ian’s going to play.”

Shane Bond, the fast bowler, has been added to New Zealand’s squad for the third one-dayer against Sri Lanka at Christchurch on January 2. Bond, who’s had a start-stop career owing to a slew of injuries, missed the opening two games to undergo a reconditioning program.With New Zealand pulling off a thrilling one-wicket series-levelling win in the second match at Queenstown, the selectors retained the same 12 that were selected for the first two games. Craig McMillan, who came into the squad to cover for the then injured Nathan Astle, has been released.On regular captain Stephen Fleming’s omission for the third consecutive match, John Bracewell, the New Zealand coach, said that the purpose was to give Fleming an extended break and also to assess Daniel Vettori’s captaincy.The series is evenly poised after two matches – Sanath Jayasuriya steered Sri Lanka to a 1-0 lead before James Franklin starred in a thrilling series-levelling win.New Zealand squad Nathan Astle, Brendon McCullum (wk), Ross Taylor, Peter Fulton, Hamish Marshall, James Marshall, Andre Adams, Daniel Vettori (capt), Shane Bond, James Franklin, Mark Gillespie, Michael Mason, Jeetan Patel.

Scorecard
Himachal Pradesh restricted Railways to a second-innings lead of 126 with two wickets remaining in their Ranji Plate Group semi-final clash at Dharamsala.Bowled out for 362, Himachal came out enthusiastically in the Railways innings and dismissed the openers for 31. Tejinder Pal Singh and Sanjib Sanyal added 65 runs before TP Singh was caught off Vishal Bhatia for 36. Sanyal, unbeaten at stumps on 106, added runs with the tail including 68 with Murali Kartik. Sarandeep Singh, Himachal’s offbreak bowler, got the last four wickets to fall on the day.
Scorecard
Orissa earned a place in the Ranji Super League next season and the Plate Group final after they beat Assam by seven wickets at Barabati Stadium in Cuttack.Assam lost their last four wickets for 20 runs, three of them going to Sukanta Khatua, Orissa’s right-arm medium bowler. Orissa then took only 37.3 overs to wrap things up. Shiv Sunder Das and Niranjan Behera added 64 for the second wicket before Das was caught behind off Arnald Konwar for 43. But Behera remained unbeaten on 45 and finished it off along with Subit Biswal.