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LAHORE, May 29: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Wednesday named players for the regional academies at Karachi, Muridke, Rawalpindi and Peshawar that will begin June 3.Haroon Rashid and Rashid Khan were named coaches for Karachi; Azhar Khan and Aaqib Javed for Muridke; Masood Anwar and Naveed Anjum for Rawalpindi and Farrukh Zaman and Ehteshmauddin for Peshawar.KARACHIBatsmen: Asha Sabir, Saqib Zia, Wajid Ali, Khalid Latif, Atif Ali Zaidi, Asim Kamal, Ariz Kamal, Mohammad Farooq, Faisal Iqbal (all Karachi), Manzoor Ahmad, Arun Lal (both Quetta), Hameedullah (Pishin), Taj Wali (Hyderabad), Syed Rehan (Mirpurkhas).Pacers: Tabish Khan, Sharif Asadullah, Adeel Malik, Owais Athar (all Karachi), Mohsin Razaullah (Sukkur)Spinners: Ali Zafar, Azam Hussain, Irfanuddin (all Karachi), Abdur Sattar (Larkana), Agha Tahir (Mirpurkhas), Pir Zulfiqar Dadu), Mohammad Qasim (Quetta)Wicketkeepers: Amin-ur-Rehman, Naeem KHan (both Karachi)Local boys: Mohammad Umair Shahzad, Danial Ahsan, Noman Alvi, Umair Mumtaz, Fahad IqbalMURIDKEBatsmen: Salman Butt, Khaqan Arsal, Adnan Raza, Kashif Mahmood, Kamran Sajid (all Lahore), Naeemuddin, Kamran Younis (both Gujranwala), Javed Husain (Sheikhupura), Shahid Yousuf (Sialkot), Mohammad Ali (Multan), Asif Iqbal (Bahawalpur)Pacers: Aizaz Cheema, Wahab Raza, Arslan Mir, Junaid Zia (all Lahore), Tanvir Ahmad (Sahiwal), Nadeem Javed, Mohammad Yasin (both Sheikhupura), Samiullah Niazi (Sargodha), Farhan Ahmad (Multan)Spinners: Hafiz Bilal, Raza Ali Dar, Azhar Ali (all Lahore), Majid Majeed (Rahimyar Khan), Mobashir Ahmad (Bahawalpur), Manzoor Amjad (Sialkot)Wicketkeepers: Adnan Akmal, Shahbaz Iqbal, Zulqarnain Haider (all Lahore).Local boys: Irfan Haider, Shahid Siddique, Khalil Ahmad, Mohammad IshaqueNWFPBatsmen: Zeeshan Mohsin, Aftab Khan, Mohammad Fayyaz, Mohammad Idrees, Yasir Hameed (all Peshawar), Abid Khan, Sajid Khan, Mumtaz Khan, Mohammad Shaique (all Fata), Mohammad Faheem, Mohammad Naeem (D.I.Khan), Akbar Badshah (Nowshera)Bowlers: Kamran Ali, Shehryar Khan, Abdul Nasir, Dilawar Khan, Manzoor Khan, Umar Gul (all Peshawar), Hilal Afridi, Riaz Afridi, Shakir-ur-Rehman, Imran Khan (all Fata), Aizaz Khan (Bannu), Abid Iqbal (Kohat), Imran Durrani (Nowshera), Yasir Shah (Swabi)Local boy: Ahmad JanRAWALPINDIMasood Asim, Nauman Awan, Shoaib Jan, Zahid Mehmood, Salman Saeed, Osama Shabbir, Ameer Khan, Shahid Mehmood, Saad Altaf, Haseeb Amjad, Muneer Ansari, Najaf Shah (all Rawalpindi), Mohammad Altaf, Mohammad Fayyaz, Zeeshan Nadir, Saifur Rehman, Raja Kashif, Talat Hussain (all Islamabad), Sohrab Aslam, Afaq Rahim, Mir Usman, Abdul Shakoor, Yasir Ali, Nadeem Sikander (both Attock), Amjad Waqas (Haripur), Imran Khan (Haripur Hazara), Naved Latif (Sargodha).Local boys: Yasim Murtuza, Sohail Akram, Zaheeruddin Babar, Danish Hanif, Riaz Afridi, Atif Khan.APP ADDS: The executive council of the Karachi City Cricket Association (KCCA), that met on Wednesday, decided to launch academies in each of the seven zones of Karachi and one at KCCA Cricket Academy.The council decided to ask the zonal office hearers to submit their proposals in this behalf to secretary KCCA by June 10.The council also decided to launch the KCCA annual talent hunt program. Inter-zonal U-15, U-17 and U-19 tournaments will be organized after conducting open trials in each zone.The council also decided to the start of inter-zonal U-19 cricket tournament from June 9.It also approved the plan to start the construction work at the KCCA Stadium in the right earnest from early next month.

Wright’s idea of the ideal bowling attackIndian coach John Wright has said he favours two or three spinners and four seamers prior to the selection of the Indian team to the tour of Zimbabwe. Talking to reporters at the end of the second day of the preparatory camp in Bangalore on Monday, Wright said “I personally favour the inclusion of two or three spinners as well as four seamers for the team which would tour Zimbabwe. But the matter has to be discussed and gone through.”Replying to a question on skipper Sourav Ganguly’s poor run in the recent series against Australia, the former New Zealand captain said it was only a matter of time before the Ganguly would regain his form. “Sourav is a world class player. He has got tremendous average in both forms of the game. Everyone goes through a lean spell. He looks very good at the nets and is working hard at his bating,” Wright said.Laxman, Ganguly eager to win a series abroadThe highest run getter in the recent series against Australia, VVS Laxman has said he was raring to go to help the Indian side to a series win abroad. The Hyderabadi batsman said “For a long time now, I’ve dreamt of being part of an Indian side that wins an overseas series.” Talking to reporters during the training camp at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, Laxman said “I’ll bethrilled if I could play some part in helping the team win in Zimbabwe.”Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly said it was necessary for India to win away from home to establish themselves as a major force in international cricket. “We’ve got to win an away series. One win abroad will set right a lot of things,” he said.English players want Christmas breakThe England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has requested the BCCI to split the forthcoming series into two parts against India later this year. The reason cited by the ECB is that the players want a break to go home and celebrate Christmas with their family and hence the request for change in schedule.A BCCI source quoted by PTI said “The England and Wales Cricket Board has requested a 26-day break between the two series. “They wanted the Test series to be played from December 3 to 23 and leave for home on December 24 and be back in time for the one-dayers from January 22 to February 3, 2002.” He added “The proposal will be discussed at the BCCI’s technical committee meeting in New Delhi on May 16.”

Former USA Cricket Association executive secretary Kenwyn Williams has launched legal action for damages against the board, seeking in excess of $1.5 million for what he claims is action which exposed him to “public contempt, ridicule, aversion and disgrace”.The papers, published by Williams himself, say the defendants – which include various USACA officials as well as the board’s legal representatives, McGuire Woods – “individually, collectively, wrongly, maliciously and scandalously [acted] to injure Plaintiff’s sterling reputation and good name”.Williams was suspended by the USACA board, and subsequently dismissed, for a series of posts on USACA branded sites on Facebook and Twitter operated by him which attracted widespread media comment and ridicule. He is also accused of leaking confidential information and of acting in a way McGuire Woods told him was “recklessly [putting] USACA, its board, staff and yourself in contempt of court”.Williams continues to challenge the legality of the board’s decision.

A day after seeing its hopes of hosting next week’s Pura Cup final against Queensland snuffed out, Victoria today seemed to loseinterest in its final round match against Western Australia at the MCG.The Vics went into the match needing to win outright, but also needing the Bulls not to take a point in their match against New South Wales, to host the final for thefirst time in ten years.But the two first innings points secured by Queensland yesterday put paid to that.And knowing they had to travel to Queensland, where they have not won outright since 1983-84, for the final for the second successive year clearly seemed to affectthe Victorian effort today.Not only did the Bushrangers allow the Warriors to reach a respectable 215 in their first innings, after they resumed at 8-164 on day two today, but then the homeside batted as slowly as Western Australia did yesterday before a late flurry saw them reach 5-143 at stumps.The Vics’ scoring rate was not helped by a slow MCG pitch and outfield, but it was hardly the sort of display to inspire confidence ahead of next Friday’s dauntingtrip to Brisbane.After taking nearly an hour and a half to wrap up the Warriors’ innings, thanks to Matthew Nicholson’s highest first class score of 48, the Vics made a disastrousstart when Matthew Elliott was out for 10 in the final over before lunch in bizarre circumstances.The former Australian opener edged Brad Williams to Brendon Julian at second slip but the ball deflected off his knee and ballooned to Marcus North at third slip,who took a great diving catch.Resuming at 1-15 after lunch, the Vics managed only 55 runs in a middle session notable for the slow batting of No. 3 Matthew Mott.Mott batted the entire session for only 21 runs and was eventually out for 23 off 99 balls, not one of which he appeared likely to middle.However, the wicket the Warriors most needed was that of Brad Hodge, but he was dropped on 32 and 39 by Julian at second slip and North in the gullyrespectively.And the little right hander made the Warriors pay by finally picking up the run rate in the final hour to end up unbeaten on 52 at stumps as he passed the 1000-runmark for the season.If the Warriors can pick up Hodge’s wicket early tomorrow they will still have a chance of upsetting the Vics, who on today’s performance appear to be alreadythinking about next week’s final.

Marcus Trescothick has made his intentions clear ahead of the second Test match against New Zealand which starts in Wellington tomorrow.In a message back to all his colleagues at the County Ground in Taunton this morning he says: “We are now looking forward to the next Test and are going to fight hard to make the series 2-0.”We are over the moon to have taken the lead in the Test series. We played some very fine cricket, Nasser, Thorpe, Flintoff, Hoggard and last but not least Andy Caddick, each as good as the other.”To think back to the first morning when we were 0 for 2 in the first over of the day. Who would have believed we could have won so convincingly?”People in this part of the world haven’t given us any credit for the victory. The only thing they are talking about is Astle’s double century. I have to agree it was very special and I was starting to get a little worried.”But at the end of the day we walked off with the 1-0 lead in the series, which is what we wanted.”Thanks for the message Marcus, and we know that you regularly log on to the Somerset site, so good luck for tomorrow’s match. We will all be cheering for you and hoping you get a big score.

ScorecardVinay Kumar made a quick 50 and took two wickets to keep India A in control•AFP

India A continued to dominate the second four-day match against New Zealand A in Lincoln as their bowlers backed up the strong performance of the batsmen. India’s new-ball bowlers Vinay Kumar and Bhuvneshwar Kumar took two wickets apiece as the hosts lost half their wickets and were still more than 350 runs behind.There was some disappointment for India A in the morning as neither Ashok Menaria nor Mandeep Singh, the overnight batsmen who resumed in their 160s, posted a double-century. Their marathon 318-run stand came to an end when Menaria was bowled by Sam Wells for 173. There was no let-up in the scoring rate even after both Menaria and Mandeep fell, as Vinay slammed a 41-ball half-century to hasten the declaration.The cornerstone of New Zealand’s reply was a 99 by Hamish Rutherford, son of former New Zealand batsman Ken. After walking in second ball, on the dismissal of opener George Worker for a golden duck, Rutherford had a 83-run partnership for the second wicket with Tom Latham, who scored a century in the first match. He also put on 57 for the third wicket with Neil Broom, and looked set for a century but was run-out at the wicketkeeper’s end attempting a single. New Zealand A captain Reece Young was dismissed in the final over of the day, caught by wicketkeeper Naman Ojha leaving India A completely in charge.

ScorecardJack Brooks produced a spell to endear him to the Yorkshire supporters•Getty Images

Twenty-eight minutes into the final session at Headingley, Yorkshire clinched victory in what was a remarkable cricket match. Derbyshire, after scoring 475 in their first innings, lost by an innings and 39 runs, prompting jubilant scenes on the field and in the stands.Yesterday evening wise heads predicted a draw at the end of a possibly dull day. The pitch had been so flat, and so many runs had been plundered by batsmen on both sides on the first three days, that it was difficult to see how Yorkshire would take the necessary ten wickets. But they did it, and with more than thirty overs to spare.The hero of the hour was Jack Brooks. A few eyebrows were raised when Yorkshire brought him to Headingley from Northamptonshire to bolster the bowling for their first season back in Division One, but this afternoon he showed what a shrewd move it was.Derbyshire had set off needing 202 to make Yorkshire bat again after the home side had added 80 in ten overs. They made a shaky start but the fourth wicket partnership of Wayne Madsen and Wes Durston spent 25 overs steadying the innings, and it began to look as if Yorkshire’s chance was slipping away. But after they had put on 92 Brooks re-entered the attack and promptly got rid of both of them, first Durston to a fine reaction catch by Phil Jaques at midwicket, then Madsen lbw in his next over.When Madsen left Derbyshire were 150 for 5. The last five wickets could muster only 13 runs, and Brooks claimed three of them. In the first over after tea he took two in two balls, Dan Redfern caught behind and Tom Poynton lbw. The hat-trick ball missed Tim Groenewald’s off stump by a whisker after it hit his pad. Brooks bowled with sharp pace and reverse swing which the middle and lower order could not handle.Bowling at the other end Adil Rashid, who was finding turn and some bounce, knocked back Groenewald’s off stump. Tony Palladino took guard despite the side strain which is likely to keep him out of Derbyshire’s next match, but it was no surprise when Brooks trapped him. Brooks might be the most spectacular celebrator of a wicket in county cricket – a raucous roar and a sprint almost to the midwicket boundary, fists pumping – and he surpassed his earlier celebratory efforts with the fall of the last wicket.There are signs that Brooks might become something of a crowd favourite here. “I was a little bit worried when I first came here how they would take to a so-called foreigner from down south coming in, but as long as I keep putting performances in like that once in a while they’ll take to me,” he said.In the early part of the Derbyshire innings the other newcomer to Yorkshire’s attack, Liam Plunkett, took, arguably, the two most important wickets of the day. First he had Chesney Hughes, scorer of 270 monumental runs in the first innings, caught at slip, then Shivnarine Chanderpaul caught behind. One of the most remarkable statistics in a match that was full of them is that Chanderpaul’s contribution to the 1315 runs scored in the match was eight.And spare a thought for Hughes. Only three batsmen (Peter Perrin, Jason Gallian and Phil Mead) have scored more runs for a team to then lose by an innings. For Derbyshire, this defeat will be especially tough to take.

Dhaka Gladiators, the Bangladesh Premier League champions, have reacted strongly after the schedule of this year’s Champions League T20 was announced without the two-time BPL winners. Of all the Test-playing countries, domestic Twenty20 champions from only Bangladesh and Zimbabwe have never participated in the CLT20.They had also alleged that the BCB did not send out any requests to one of the three cricket boards that organise the tournament, but the BCB has denied this claim.”We expected (to be included) and were waiting for a meeting with one the organisers – the BCCI – of the tournament,” Shihab Chowdhury, Dhaka Gladiator’s managing director, said in a statement. “We also said that things are on track but the fixtures were released before we could even make a move. We were informed that the Bangladesh Cricket Board was supposed to recommend and request the BCCI. But surprisingly this was also never done.””We were informed that Bangladesh Cricket Board was supposed to recommend and request the BCCI. But surprisingly this was never done.”In reply, BPL secretary Ismail Haider Mallick has said they never got a reply from the organisers, but they will try to include the BPL champions. “They [Dhaka Gladiators] are misinformed about our stance. We have sent letters to the Champions League T20 committee but didn’t get any replies from the concerned people. We will send letters to the BCCI, CA and CSA in this regard next week.”They went to meet the ICC but I don’t think the ICC has anything to do with this,” Mallick told ESPNcricinfo.”We were even told by the concerned that process is going and there was a very good chance for us to participate in the tournament this year, but no communication was made by the concerned thus we were not considered,” he said.

South Australia made an improper approach to recruit the young Victoria legspinner James Muirhead during the 2012-13 season, a Cricket Australia grievance tribunal has ruled. However the matter has been adjourned for further proceedings at a later date after SA contested the verdict.Muirhead, who played for the Adelaide Strikers in the inaugural BBL tournament in 2011-12, is contracted to the Bushrangers but it was alleged by the Bushrangers that he was approached by SA towards the end of this season’s competition, despite his current deal, and without their permission.”The Tribunal found a breach of Rule 4 of the Rules for Interstate Competitions by the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA),” a CA spokesman said. “A further hearing of the matter has been adjourned to the 24th April 2013.”The relevant rule states: “State Association must not (and must ensure that its constituent clubs do not) hold discussions with a CA Contracted Player or a State Contracted Player who is bound to another State Association concerning the possible transfer of that player without first informing the player’s home State Association.”SA have indicated their determination to dispute the outcome. “SACA maintains that it did not breach Rule 4 of the Rules for Interstate Competitions and is currently working with its legal team to consider its options,” the SACA chief executive Keith Bradshaw said. “Given the matter is still under consideration no further comments will be made at this time.”The official recruiting period for states began on Wednesday after CA announced their list of centrally-contracted players for the coming year.

Division One

Eighteen wickets tumbled on a sensational second day at Chester-le-Street, as the county champions, Durham, seized the initiative against Lancashire, only to have their dominance undermined late in the day by Sajid Mahmood and his fellow seamers. By the close, Durham had collapsed to 122 for 6 in their second innings, but still held an important lead of 250 thanks to Graham Onions and Steve Harmison, who claimed four wickets apiece in Lancashire’s meagre 116 all out. Only one batsman really got the measure of the conditions all day – Durham’s Ian Blackwell, who hoisted his side from a Mahmood-inflicted 10 for 4 with a hard-hitting 65 not out. Andrew Flintoff, still firing after his first-innings four-for, was once again on target with 1 for 17 from 12 overs.Mike Yardy clubbed his second hundred in four days as Sussex dominated the second day against Worcestershire at New Road. Yardy, who didn’t reach three figures in a Championship at all last season, was fourth man out for a magnificent 152, sharing in significant partnerships with Chris Nash (52) and, in particular, Matt Prior who blitzed 82 from 87 balls. Yardy was dropped in the second over of the day and Worcestershire already appear to be heading for their fourth loss of the season, as they struggle to reach the demands of Division One cricket following their promotion last season.For a report from the second day at The Rose Bowl between Nottinghamshire and Hampshire, click here.Click here for John Ward’s report on the second day at Headingley, where Yorkshire took on Somerset.

Division Two

Jamie Dalrymple cracked his third hundred of the season to stitch together Glamorgan’s reply on the second day against Derbyshire at Derby. The hosts had the better of the morning as Tim Groenewald (24) and Ian Hunter (33*), Nos. 10 and 11, extended Derbyshire’s first innings to 307. Their bowlers then grabbed early wickets as Glamorgan slipped to a precipitous 35 for 3. Enter Dalrymple, who found good support in Gareth Rees (42), sharing in an 82-run fourth-wicket stand. Greg Smith picked up two wickets as Derbyshire’s seamers continued to threaten, leaving Dalrymple to hold the fort on an unbeaten 105. At stumps, however, Glamorgan still trailed by 82 with just four wickets in hand.Usman Afzaal’s unbeaten 156 put Surrey in complete control of their match against Northamptonshire on the second day at Northampton. Resuming on 113 for 4, Batty and Afzaal set the tone for the day with a fifth-wicket stand of 130. Batty fell for 48, caught behind off the persistent David Lucas, but Ryan Harris stuck by Afzaal in another sizeable partnership of 149. Afzaal brought up his hundred by smashing the wicketless Monty Panesar over the top for six, while Harris, who made 94, reached his fifty from a speedy 58 balls to pile more pain on the home side.