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Any player representative recognition by the International Cricket Council (ICC) has to be when all Test players are represented by that body.When addressing a press conference at the Taj Samudra Hotel in Colombo onSaturday, ICC president Malcolm Gray and chief executive Malcolm Speed spoke in detailabout ICC’s views on the Federation of International Cricketers’ Associations (FICA) and player representation.Gray said: “As a central body, it will be easier for us todeal with a body that represents the players, as compared with theindividuals.”Some countries do have well-organised players’ associations. In turnthose country player associations have come together to form FICA.However, It is the belief of the board of ICC that FICA at presentdoes not really represent all the international players,” he added.Gray explained the reasons for FICA not being recognised as theglobal players body. Without specifically naming any member boards,Gray definitely threw some darts at some members.He said: “There aresome national boards who do not believe in players being representedby player associations. A paper was presented to the ICC board to giveFICA more representation and the board didn’t agree with that.”There is a paper going forward to the next board meeting (to be heldon Monday and Tuesday in Colombo), whereby players will be given farbetter representation and voice in the management within ICC. Nowwhether that gets approved is something I can’t say,” said Gray.Having said that, Gray played the diplomatic card, “ICC respects thesovereignty and the right of the individual boards to have their ownviews, in regard to player management. It is not up to us to interferein the internal affairs of a country.”Chief executive Malcolm Speed elaborated on the player representationissue.”In seven countries there are player representative groups. In theother countries there are no such representative groups, and they arequite vigorously opposed to having player representative groups.”In October last year the management put forward a paper to the ICCboard that FICA be given limited recognition to be invited toparticipate in different forms of ICC meetings. First of all, thechief executives of the boards rejected that. They were led by thechief executives of the countries that do not have formal playerrepresentative groups.”Same recommendation went to the board and didn’t achieve thenecessary majority. For something to be resolved at the ICC executive board meeting, youneed seven of the full member countries to vote for it,” he added.The ICC management under the two Malcolms from Australia have now putthe onus on India’s BCCI to negotiate with the Indian players. Given what theICC management have to say about the player representation, it isquite apparent that the Indian players have to slug it out at homewith their board.

SYDNEY, Nov 14 AAP – Test batsman Darren Lehmann and South Australian opener David Fitzgerald stood up against a star-studded NSW and set the Redbacks off to a blazing start in their Pura Cup cricket match at the SCG today.NSW captain Steve Waugh’s decision to send SA in to bat on a green wicket in gloomy conditions appeared to have backfired before Brett Lee took his third five-wicket haul in as many innings to put the visitors at 5-319 at stumps.By the close of play on day one, John Davison was not out nine and Shane Deitz was on four following a record 191-run stand between Lehmann and Fitzgerald.Lehmann fell just shy of his century with 97 while Fitzgerald carved out an elegant 153, the pair’s partnership SA’s best for the second wicket against NSW at the Sydney ground.SA went into the match severely undermanned with Test paceman Jason Gillespie being rested and star batsman Greg Blewett on Australia A duties.To make matters worse, Redbacks bowler Damien Fleming was a late withdrawal with a shoulder injury and batsman Chris Davies pulled out with a hamstring complaint last night.NSW on the other hand had Michael Bevan, Michael Slater, Simon Katich and Stuart MacGill joining Lee and the Waugh brothers.Lee continued his campaign for a Test re-call following his 10-wicket haul against Tasmania last weekend in response to his axing from the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.The 26-year-old, who was today predictably selected in Australia’s 12-man squad for next week’s Adelaide Test, took all of the Blues’ wickets to finish with 5-80 from 25 overs.After an initial five-over spell, Lee returned to the attack in the 20th over and struck with a sizzling third delivery.The ball struck Ben Johnson’s bat high as the left-hander fell backwards and the ball popped into the air, finding the safe hands of Steve Waugh, running in from gully to take a strong catch diving forward and dismissing the batsman for 29.The Blues missed out on taking another wicket in the first over after lunch when Fitzgerald, on 30, edged a Don Nash delivery with SA on 1-83.Wicketkeeper Nathan Pilon – standing in for Australia A gloveman Brad Haddin – got his hand to the ball as he stretched forward and to his right but failed to take the difficult chance.Pilon also spilled a chance off Lehmann when he was on 47 and the score 1-131.Attempting to take a catch off the bowling of Nathan Bracken, Pilon dived across first slip Katich but the ball bounced off his glove and hit Katich on the chin, forcing the fielder off the ground for treatment.The Blues introduced Mark Waugh, the man Lehmann replaced in the Test side, in a bid to break the partnership, but to no avail and SA went to tea at 1-209.It was not until Lee was brought back into the attack half an hour after the break that the breakthrough came, the paceman clean bowling Lehmann with the first ball of his spell.Fitzgerald took SA past the 300 mark before Lee found a top edge to have him caught behind.Lee then dismissed Ben Higgins (13) and Mark Higgs (0) with successive balls.

Vasbert Drakes gets a big hug from his son Dominic as they relaxed at Kensington Oval yesterday evening.Barbadian cricketer Vasbert Drakes has answered a last-minute call from the West Indies selectors and is ready to play a starring role in the upcoming International Cricket Council mini World Cup in Sri Lanka.Drakes, who has been out of West Indies cricket for seven years due to the old eligibility rule, leaves the island today to join the rest of the 14-man side.The 33-year-old turned down a lucrative contract with South African provincial side Border to wear the Windies colours."Border has been loyal to me for many years, but at the end of the day, which little boy growing up in the Caribbean wouldn’t want to play for the West Indies," he said.

George Stuarts Travel International Ltd have been appointed the official travel agents for Cricket World Cup 2003 completing a hat-trick in administration.The tournament is scheduled to be held in South Africa from February 8 till March 23 and their appointment to be the official travel agents for a third consecutive Cricket World Cup is looked upon by the company’s hierarchy as one of great prestige.”What this appointment reflects is the esteem with which our company is being held in various parts of the world,” said the company’s group chairman S. Skandakumar chairing a well-attended press conference at Steuart House yesterday.”We consider this a great challenge because of two areas which we will have to deal with. One is that there is no direct flights to South Africa unlike in the previous two World Cups in Pakistan/India and England, and two, there is no consular office in Sri Lanka for visas,” said Skandakumar.”Bearing this in mind we have put out very attractive packages for those who wish to travel to South Africa and witness the matches,” he said.George Steuarts will market the tickets for those wishing to witness any of the matches in the form of single package which will include air tickets, accommodation and match tickets.The tournament will take place over 44 dys in various venues around South Africa with a spectacular opening ceremony scheduled for February 8 and a closing ceremony for March 23 at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg where the final will be played.”Corporates and menmbers of the public are cautioned against purchasing packages from any travel agent or tour operator other than the official appointee as they will not have access to official match tickets. This is due to the sophisticated ticketing process to be used during the tournament.Skandakumar said the concept of appointing official travel agents for the Cricket World Cup was first mooted in 1996. George Stuarts were then appointed and Skandakumar recalled how they chartered a flight within 48 hours to take around 300 people to Lahore and back to witness the historic final where Sri Lanka beat Australia to emerge the World Cup champions.The company were also appointed the official travel agents for the 1999 World Cup held in England.”The 1999 World Cup was disappointing in that our team failed to qualify for the Super Six, but the manner in which they are preparing for the 2003 World Cup I am sure our performances will be on par with that of the 1996 World Cup,” he said.He said that with the intention of enabling as many people to witness the 2003 World Cup, ‘a fly now, pay later’ scheme is being worked out with the banks.Sales Director Channe Wijemanne, Director R. Muralidharan, Tours Director Lucky Fernando and Business Development Director Rimzi Nazeer were also associated with the media briefing.

The Tasmanian Cricket Association’s Chief Executive, David Johnston, today announced 16 State contracted players and 2 Rookie contracted players.2002/2003 Tasmanian Contracted Players

• Jamie Cox
• Michael DiVenuto
• Daniel Marsh
• David Saker
• Gerard Denton
• Damien Wright
• Scott Kremerskothen
• Sean Clingeleffer
• Scott Mason
• Shannon Tubb
• Shane Jurgensen
• George Bailey
• Xavier Doherty
• Ben Oliver
• Luke Williams
• Michael Dighton

Rookies

• Ben Hilfenhaus
• Brett Geeves

The squad also includes Ricky Ponting and Shane Watson who are both Australian Cricket Board contracted players.The States must register between 14 and 20 State Player contracts and between 2 and 5 rookie contracts by September 28.

West Indies selectors today named four newcomers and a pair of players who have been in the cricket wilderness for the last three years, in a 22-member training squad. The camp, which will be held in Trinidad from 21st – 28th March, is to prepare the West Indies team for the forthcoming Cable & Wireless home series against India.Windward Islands’ opening batsman Devon Smith, Jamaican off-spin all-rounder Gareth Breese, along with Leeward Islands’ fast bowlers Adam Sanford and Jamaican Darrell Powell are the four newcomers included in the squad ahead of the series of five Tests and five limited-overs internationals against the Indians.Meanwhile, captain and opening batsman for the Leeward Islands, Stuart Williams and Windward Islands’ wicketkeeper/batsman Junior Murray, two players who have not featured in recent selections, have also been included in the squad that will be encamped in Trinidad.Also making their return to the senior team lineup are former West Indies captain Brian Lara along with Ramnaresh Sarwan. Lara was injured during the ill-fated Sri Lankan tour. Lara recently started net practice following a near three-month break from the game. The double world record holder had his right elbow dislocated during a limited overs international against Sri Lanka last December.Meanwhile, Sarwan returned to cricket during Guyana’s final preliminary match against Leeward Islands after a two-month break last week. The Guyanese right handed batsman pulled out of the team’s training camp just prior to the series against Pakistan earlier this year with a back injury. Both players have recently recovered from their injuries.”All members of the squad, especially Lara and Sarwan, will be subject to fitness and medical examinations prior and during the camp before they become eligible for selection,” remarked Gregory Shillingford, chief executive officer of the West Indies Cricket Board.Smith, Breese, Sanford and Powell, as well as Williams and Murray have all been rewarded for creditable performances in the ongoing Busta Cricket Series.Smith, a left handed opening batsman, scored the most runs — 750 at an average of 62.50 — during the preliminary competition of the Busta Series, but his Windward Islands side has been eliminated from the semi-finals of the Busta International Shield.Breese is a strong contender for the Best All-rounder award in the Busta Series. He has so far made 360 runs at an average of 45.00 and captured 35 wickets at 19.45 apiece for Jamaica.Sanford, Dominican by birth, burst onto the scene in this year’s Busta Series after encouraging performances for his native Antigua & Barbuda during the Leeward Islands championship last year. He has taken 37 wickets at 24.24 each.Powell was named on Saturday to attend the Shell Cricket Academy of the St. George’s University in Grenada in May. He has impressed no less a judge than Andy Roberts, the former West Indies fast bowler, and has taken 23 wickets at 16.36 apiece in six matches for Jamaica.Williams, who was a member of the 1999 World Cup team, played the last of his 28 Tests against South Africa at Port Elizabeth four years ago. The Leeward Islands captain has been recalled after a productive season in the Busta Series in which he has gathered 722 runs at an average of 72.20, making him the second highest scorer.Murray, who has played 31 Tests and 55 limited-overs internationals, but has not featured for West Indies since the 1998-99 tour of South Africa, has also earned a recall after scoring heavily in the Busta Series. He has struck four centuries in his 642 runs at 53.50 in seven matches for the Windwards.Also being considered by the selection panel is Mahendra Nagamootoo, who has been overlooked since the 2000-2001 tour of Australia. The leg-spin bowler ended the preliminary competition of the Busta Series with the most wickets — 41 at 20.19 apiece.All the other members of the training squad have featured in recent West Indies series. Noticeably absent from the training camp is captain and opening batsman for Barbados, Sherwin Campbell, who was recently included in the West Indies touring team to Sharjah.Training squad:
Carl Hooper (captain), Marlon Black, Gareth Breese, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Pedro Collins, Cameron Cuffy, Mervyn Dillon, Daren Ganga, Chris Gayle, Ryan Hinds, Wavell Hinds, Ridley Jacobs, Brian Lara, Runako Morton, Junior Murray, Mahendra Nagamootoo, Darrell Powell, Dinanath Ramnarine, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Smith, Adam Sanford, Stuart Williams.

Sports Minister Johnston Fernando has appointed Kushil Gunasekera assecretary and Typhon Mirando as treasurer of the newly appointed 10-memberinterim committee of the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL),according to the Daily News.However, although the committee apparently took over from the VijayaMalalsekera led interim committee, which had resigned after a year inoffice, on April 1, no official communication has yet been released fromeither the Ministry of Sports or the BCCSL confirming their appointment.The new committee has reportedly been appointed for a period of one year andwill be chaired by Hemaka Amarasuriya. It includes four members from theprevious committee – Nalin Ladduwahetty, Michael Tissera, Sidath Wettimunyand Kushil Gunasekera – and five new members: Mohan de Silva, LawranceAmarasena, Trevor Rajaratnam and former Sri Lanka Test batsman RoshanMahanama.

The West Indies put their noses in front in the first Cable & Wireless Test yesterday by pure perseverance.It has not been one of their attributes of late and the way they kept their nerve and maintained their patience as South Africa threatened to run away with the lead on the third day was good to see.Inspite of left-handed opener Gary Kristen’s typically tenacious 150, they limited South Africa’s powerful batting to 332, removing the last six wickets for 68, at Bourda Ground.The advantage was a marginal 28 and, in keeping with the positive attitude evident from the first day, the tall left-handed openers Chris Gayle and Wavell Hinds erased it with a volley of breathtaking boundaries.Gayle, as he did in his first innings of 81, launched himself into six thumping off-side fours. Hinds was less audacious, limiting himself to three as the pair took 50 off the 15 overs available before close.It left the match intriguingly balanced with two days remaining on a hard, dry, slow pitch of variable bounce.Twice, two partnerships involving the seemingly immovable Kirsten seemed to be guiding South Africa to a commanding position when the West Indies restored the balance with a cluster of wickets in which all the bowlers were involved.Kirsten and Jacques Kallis carried their overnight second-wicket partnership to 136 over the first hour-and-a-half and had sufficiently frustrated the West Indies that Dinanath Ramnarine was defensively twirling his leg-breaks from round the wicket into the rough outside leg-stump.Then they had a lucky break with an umpiring error that led to the first shift in the balance.Kirsten had advanced to his 12th Test hundred in his 69th Test and Kallis followed to his 50 with only the occasional alarm when umpire John Hampshire ruled Kallis lbw to Nixon McLean’s off-cutter.It did not need the television replay to confirm that the ball had flicked Kallis’ inside edge on its way to his back pad. Kallis had batted four hours without a mistake and his demise opened up the susceptible Darryl Cullinan and Neil McKenzie to the wiles of Ramnarine, who was seldom mastered throughout his 23 overs in two spells on the day.Cullinan’s average of 43 in 66 Tests is that of a quality player, but leg-spin is well known to be his achilles heel, frequently exploited in the past by Shane Warne. He watched Ramnarine carefully before dancing down the pitch to lift confidently to the straight boundary.Ramnarine had the ideal response, a perfectly pitched leg-break 20 minutes to lunch, that found the thin edge of Cullinan’s defensive bat for Ridley Jacobs 96th Test catch and 100th victim.McKenzie was even more ill at ease against Ramnarine.He survived to lunch but, attempting an ungainly sweep shortly after resumption, was bowled round his legs.Three wickets had fallen while 27 runs were added but, while Kirsten was well entrenched, Boucher could have gone at any time in his early exchanges with Ramnarine.He was two when, turning the bat across a leg-break, he lobbed the ball agonisingly between bowler, extra-cover and mid-off. But it did not deter the adventurous wicket-keeper, who dominated a partnership of 76 with Kirsten that swung the advantage back towards South Africa’s long batting team.The pair forced Ramnarine out of the attack but the second new ball initiated another South African slide either side of tea in which the last six wickets tumbled for 68.After seven hours, 25 minutes, Kirsten’s top-edged cut provided Jacobs with another catch and the tireless Courtney Walsh with his 495th Test wicket.Lance Klusener soon fell lbw to McLean, swinging ambitiously across the line, and Walsh collected his next scalp in the following over as Boucher missed his off-cutter and was lbw for 52 after two hours 20 minutes.The three wickets had fallen for 13 from 4.1 overs and, for once, South Africa’s formidable tail did not wag. Nicky Boje sliced Merv Dillon low to point, Ramnarine removed Alan Donald to a straightforward slip catch and Makaya Ntini was the third victim for Dillon and Jacobs.It left Gayle and Hinds with what is always a ticklish time for opening batsmen except the bowlers were the ones tickled up.

India’s cricket team arrived in Harare on Friday afternoon confident of winning only their third Test series away from home after 1971. The squad of 15 players arrived at the new Harare International Airport at midday suffering from fatigue after a tiresome journey which began on Thursday.The two-match Test series will be the two sides’ first matches in the new ICC Test Championship which was kick-started by the England-Pakistan series last week.India have averaged one away series win a decade, having beaten England 2-0 in 1986 and Sri Lanka 1-0 in 1993. They have played two one-off Tests in Zimbabwe and drew the first, Zimbabwe’s inaugural, in October 1992. The second match was in October 1998 and Zimbabwe won at the Harare Sports Club by 61 runs.India captain Sourav Ganguly said that they were confident of winning the series, which will help them leapfrog into a tie for the fourth position with Sri Lanka in the ICCTC.”We have played well in the past six to seven months and obviously we are here to win. We have a much stronger side than the ones which struggled in away tours in the past,” he said. “We have prepared well for this tour, we had a good camp and have a good side. Everyone has worked hard to get into this side.”Ganguly said that their recent 2-1 series win, coming from behind, over the unofficial world champions Australia would not make them over-confident against a lowly rated Zimbabwe. “No, we take each series as it comes and each team as it comes. We don’t get carried away by past successes,” he said.On the conditions expected in Zimbabwe, Ganguly said they would not be affected as they have played here before. “I don’t think we will have any problems with the conditions in Zimbabwe because we have been here before,” he said.While the wickets in India are spin-friendly, Zimbabwean wickets favour seamers and pace bowlers.Team manager Chetan Chauhan, a former Indian opening batsman, was also confident that they would end their dismal performance away from home. “We would want to win the series. It’s going to be a tough and interesting series. We are not going to underestimate Zimbabwe because at home they are a good side,” he said.”Ours is also a very good, balanced side and it’s a young side which is full of confidence after beating Australia last month. Australia is undoubtedly the best cricketing country in the world.”Chauhan said that the Indians still have respect for Zimbabwe despite boasting of three of the world’s top ten Test batsman. Sachin Tendulkar is the world’s number one, Rahul Dravid is number four while VVS Laxman is number nine. Zimbabwe only have Andy Flower in the top ten. Flower is currently ranked number three.”That won’t have any bearing on the outcome of the series because as I said, we are not underestimating Zimbabwe. The last time we came here we lost 1-0. We will work very hard and the boys are confident of winning the series as a team,” Chauhan said.Although he did not want to single out potential series winners, Chauhan could not resist the temptation of mentioning Tendulkar. “We will play as a team but of course we have Tendulkar who is the best in the world. He will be supported by three or four other good batsmen. We also have a good bowling attack and as I said, it’s a well-balanced side. But Sachin Tendulkar, of course and Dravid and Laxman are the players who can change the game any time,” he said.Chauhan also has admiration for a couple of Zimbabweans. “Well, the Flower brothers are there and in particular Andy Flower. He batted brilliantly in the last series in India last year, averaging over 200. So he is a very good batsman."Chauhan also expressed his feelings on the conditions in Zimbabwe. “I don’t think we will have any problems with the conditions in Zimbabwe. We will play two warm-up matches before the Test series. I am sure the boys will get used to the Zimbabwean wickets before the Tests,” he said.Chauhan added, “The players in the Indian side are experienced players. They are professionals and they have played all over the world. I’m sure they will adjust to the conditions in Zimbabwe and the sooner they do that, the better it will be.”Before coming here we had a camp in Bangalore and the kind of wicket we had there is, to a certain extent, similar to the wickets in Zimbabwe. It favoured seamers and fast bowlers. We have taken enough precautions about it and we have practised well. We are, I would say, prepared for the conditions in Zimbabwe.”Chauhan said they were worried with India’s seventh position in the ICC Test championship table. “They have gone by the recent performances and, unfortunately, last season we did not play many series in India and that’s the reason we have been relegated to seventh. We are concerned about it, but I’m sure we will soon climb the ladder,” he concluded.

Jesse Ryder announced his return to competitive cricket with an unbeaten and aggressive half-century on the second day of Wellington’s Plunket Shield match against Central Districts – his first match since May when he played in the IPL. Ryder, who spent the last few months away from cricket, was the top scorer with an 83-ball 84 while the rest of the Wellington middle-order failed to build upon a century opening stand and stumbled to 254 for 8 in response to Central Districts’ 383.In March this year, Ryder had pulled out of the Wellington squad and had decided to take an indefinite break from cricket to resolve personal issues. He travelled to India to play in the IPL with a support structure in place, but later agreed with the NZC to avoid a national contract this year. However, he was offered a Wellington contract for the season.”I’m setting myself some big goals for the season – I’m going to come back stronger than ever and make an impact for Wellington,” Ryder had said in July. “This is the first step in the next stage of my career and I’m going hard out. As I said, I’m just focusing on one job at a time. I don’t have any expectations of being selected for the Black Caps [New Zealand team] this summer – if I score heaps of runs and do the right stuff, that might happen in time.”It’s all about Wellington for me at the moment – whatever happens in the future will happen. I want to play for New Zealand again, but I’m taking one step at a time.”He had impressed the Wellington coach, Jamie Siddons, with his fitness and his attitude during pre-season training.”I wouldn’t say he’s the skinniest person in the world but he has certainly lost a bit of weight and he’s been putting in all the hard yards that we expected of him.” Siddons had said. “I think he’s looking forward to playing cricket. That’s what he does, that’s what he’s great at. He wants to get out there with a bat in his hand and put himself forward for the Black Caps down the track.”Ryder’s last international appearance for New Zealand was during the home ODI series against South Africa in February this year and he was dropped after he broke team protocol while injured.