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Mohammad Yousuf will have legal counsel representing him at the next arbitration hearing in Mumbai examining his pull-out from the Indian Cricket League (ICL). The representation will be arranged by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) for the hearing on January 24.Yousuf initially signed up with the ICL after being dropped from Pakistan’s squad for the World Twenty20 last September. Soon after, however, he was convinced by the PCB to turn his back on the ICL, represent Pakistan and also sign up the Indian Premier League (IPL), a rival circuit officially sanctioned by the BCCI.Organisers of the ICL have insisted that Yousuf cannot renege on his contract and appear for the IPL and sent him a legal notice last year, which prompted the arbitration hearing. However, Yousuf or any representation, failed to appear at the last hearing in Mumbai in December.”There is another hearing on January 24 in Mumbai and we are keen for them to hear Yousuf’s side of the story before they take any decisions,” Nasim Ashraf, the PCB chairman, said. “This is an arbitration hearing trying to mediate in this dispute, not a court of law. They issued a hearing without listening to Yousuf’s version last time and we want to make sure that doesn’t happen this time. We will have legal representation at the next hearing.”At the same time, the board has also filed a petition in the Lahore High Court, arguing that the dispute should be heard in Lahore, where Yousuf is based and where the contract was signed.Ashraf also said that the board was considering the cases of other players who played in the ICL and are, for the moment, barred from playing domestic cricket in Pakistan. Former Pakistan openers Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar, as well as Shabbir Ahmed, played in the ICL recently and the PCB has subsequently prevented them from playing domestic cricket.The players have gone to court challenging the ban but Ashraf said the court had dismissed the petition. Farhat and Umar were prevented from playing in the just-concluded Quaid-e-Azam trophy final for Habib Bank. But their futures will now be discussed at the board’s governing committee meeting on January 25 and there appears a chance the domestic ban might be revoked.”We will look at their cases, but I want to reiterate that they all had an opportunity to play for Pakistan,” Ashraf said. “Some of them [Farhat] even had central contracts but they handed them back and chose to play there. That is their choice certainly for the contracts are lucrative, but we are also now paying players well when they play for regions.”The players should be asked why they chose that option, but we would like to move forward from the matter now. We don’t want a confrontation with any of them.”

There’s not much respite in a modern cricket tour. Less than a week after South Africa and England finished their breathless Test series at Centurion, they lock horns again in a seven-match one-day series. The first match is an all-day game on Sunday at the Wanderers in Johannesburg – the scene of England’s series-clinching Test victory – and is followed by floodlit matches at Bloemfontein on Wednesday and Port Elizabeth two days later. (Click here for all the dates.)South Africa’s squad for the opening games is – like their Test side – stuffed with allrounders. Apart from Jacques Kallis, who will be looking to ram those accusations of selfishness back down a few English throats, Andrew Hall, Nicky Boje, Shaun Pollock and the recalled Justin Kemp will all be jostling for a chance up the batting order. Kemp, 27, played the last of his 14 ODIs at Perth three years ago, but returns to favour after a good domestic season with the Titans.Up the order it’s much the same as in the Tests, with AB de Villiers given a first taste of the one-day arena. Back, though, comes the 31-year-old Adam Bacher, who last pulled on the green pyjamas in November 1999 (and his last Test was all of seven years ago). Bacher, the nephew of the former SA board chief Ali, wins a recall after a prolific one-day season for the Lions – he has scored 502 runs at 62 this season, including a massive 158 not out against the Warriors at Potchefstroom.England’s team, meanwhile, is very different from the one that did battle in the Tests, and has been bolstered by a strong showing in Thursday’s warm-up match against South Africa A under the lights at Kimberley, when Kevin Pietersen (97) and Ian Bell (87 not out) piled on 169 to set up an ultimately comfortable victory. Among the batsmen Graham Thorpe and Robert Key have joined Mark Butcher at home, to be replaced by Pietersen and Vikram Solanki, plus two of the fringe Test squad, Bell and Paul Collingwood.In the bowling department Darren Gough and Alex Wharf return, alongside Matthew Hoggard and Simon Jones, who earned late reprieves after Andrew Flintoff’s foot injury ruled him out and Steve Harmison picked up a calf strain. Harmison is unlikely to play in the first couple of matches, but the management is keeping its fingers crossed that he will be able to recapture his elusive form later on.With Graeme Smith smarting from a rare home defeat in the Tests, a cracking one-day series looms.South Africa squad
Herschelle Gibbs, Graeme Smith (capt), AB de Villiers, Jacques Kallis, Adam Bacher, Jacques Rudolph, Ashwell Prince, Mark Boucher (wk), Andrew Hall, Justin Kemp, Nicky Boje, Shaun Pollock, Charl Langeveldt, Makhaya Ntini, Andre Nel.England squad
Marcus Trescothick, Vikram Solanki, Andrew Strauss, Michael Vaughan (capt), Ian Bell, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Geraint Jones (wk), Ashley Giles, Kabir Ali, Gareth Batty, Alex Wharf, Darren Gough, Steve Harmison, Matthew Hoggard, Simon Jones, James Anderson.

Glamorgan lost a dramatic floodlit National League match against Worcestershire at New Roadby 3 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method after being set a revised target of 126 to win in18 overs. Steady rain throughout the afternoon, meant that the start was delayed until 7.15pm,with the match being initially reduced to a 23 overs a sidecontest.Robert Croft then won an important toss, and elected to bowl first witha side showing one change from the team on Sunday, with Owen Parkin replacing DeanCosker. It was Parkin who opened the bowling with Michael Kasprowicz, and the Worcestershireopeners Anurag Singh and Vikram Solanki got their side off to a rapid start, striking8 boundaries in the first 27 balls.But Kasprowicz, bowling from the Diglis End, then took 3 wickets in five balls withoutconceeding a run, as Solanki was caught at slip by Michael Powell, before Graeme Hick fendedoff his second ball into the hands of Jonathan Hughes in the gully. Then in hisnext over Andrew Hall was also caught in the gully, this time by Jimmy Maher, as Worcestershireslumped from 36-0 to 40-3.Worcestershire captain Ben Smith made his intentions clear right from the outset, twicecutting Alex Wharf, who had replaced Kasprowicz at the Diglis End, over the pointboundary for six, but Adrian Dale then replaced Wharf and immediately deceived Anurag Singhinto chipping the ball into Powell`s hands at short mid-wicket with the score on 69-4.Smith and David Leatherdale had added a further fifteen runs when a further rain interuptiontook place, and the game was further reduced to an 18 overs contest. Aftera thirty minute delay, the Worcestershire batsmen came back out to face a further 15 balls.Leatherdale was dismissed from the first delivery, but Smith and Gareth Batty added 32 runsas Worcestershire finished on 117-5 from their 18 overs.After the recalculations had been done, Glamorgan`s target was 126, but they made a poor startlosing Robert Croft to the second ball of the innings. Jimmy Maher and Matthew Maynard thenadded 38 before Maher was caught and bowled by Mason, but Maynard kept Glamorgan in the huntstriking six crisp boundaries before chipping Mason to Kabir Ali at mid-on.Worcestershire came back into the match as Jonathan Hughes departed for 1, but Michael Powelland Adrian Dale put Glamorgan back in front, adding 24 in three and a half overs before the playersleft the field as the steady drizzle turned into heavy rain with 13.3 overs having been bowled.At the time, Glamorgan were narrowly ahead under the Duckworth-Lewis method, but the stoppageproved to a very brief one, and the players returned. With the game still on a knife-edge,Dale and Powell added a further 13 runs, before Powell was bowled by Leatherdale, and then MarkWallace was run-out.Dale then top-edged the next ball from Kabir Ali into his face, and with blood pouring from a cut, Dale wasforced to retire hurt, with Glamorgan still needing 15 from the last 10 balls. Wharf struck his firstball for four to briefly raise Welsh hopes, but only 1 run was added from the next three balls toleave Glamorgan needing 10 from the final over from Leatherdale.Wharf scored 3 from the first couple of balls, before Kasprowicz was bowled by the third ball.David Harrison then scrambled 3 from the next two deliveries, leaving Wharf to score 4 from the final ballto win the game. However, the burly Yorkshireman could not make contact with Leatherdale`s last delivery,and Worcestershire had won a dramatic game by 3 runs.

It didn’t take long for the battle lines to be drawn after the United Cricket Board (UCB) today announced a dramatic restructuring plan for South African domestic cricket. From the 2004-05 season, only six teams – down from the current 11 – will contest the first-class SuperSport Series and the Standard Bank limited overs competition.The six will represent professional franchises rather than provinces. The UCB’s 11 affiliates, or groups of them, may tender for a franchise from Cricket SA (Pty) Ltd, which will control the as yet undecided franchising process. The 11 affiliates will be joined by teams representing Limpopo, Mpumalanga, South Western Districts, Border-Kei (formerly Transkei) and KwaZulu-Natal Inland to contest amateur competitions.Players from the 16 amateur teams will feed into the sides operated by the six franchises.The decisions were made by the UCB general council at a meeting in Pretoria on Sunday afternoon, and before the sun set, the first salvos were fired in what promises to be a time of noisy debate in South African cricket. “Financial concerns are an important element, and we also need to formulate a strength-versus-strength system to ensure that our domestic cricket is strong to help us reach our goal of becoming the top cricketing nation in the world,” Gerald Majola, the UCB chief executive, said.Ray Jennings, who coached the unfashionable and impoverished Easterns to the first-class championship last season, was passionately opposed to the move. “It’s mind-boggling to try and understand the logic of this decision,” Jennings told Wisden CricInfo. “How do you decide who the six franchises are? Do they do it on the basis of results on the field, or is it done in the boardroom? What entitles someone to become part of South African cricket? Simply being the highest bidder? We could end up with five franchises in Gauteng, or one in Kimberley, which would have to be the worst place for it.”Jennings thought the impending changes represented the top of a slippery slope for domestic cricket. “I think this could be the start of the erosion of South African cricket,” he said. “You could find 30 or 40 first-class players giving up the game.” Jennings supported the concept of strength-versus-strength, but felt the marked departure from the status quo was ill-considered. “We’ve shown at Easterns that you can take cricketers from the bottom to the top,” he said.Newly-elected UCB president Ray Mali said the planned restructure was the crucial to the future of the game. “This is one of the most difficult and critical decisions to have been taken in South African cricket since unity in 1991, and it is one we have debated at all levels for two years,” Mali said. “We needed to make a tough business decision to ensure the survival of the game we love and to ensure that we can develop that game and pursue excellence.”We rely largely on the professional level of cricket to bring in the income we use to develop the game for all. Without restructuring that level into a stronger option, which can attract more crowds, sponsors and revenue, and which also does not drain funds, we would not be able to develop the game at all. We would barely be able to survive.”

Cricket Australia today announced that wicket-keeper/batsman Adam Gilchrist will not take part in Australia’s VB Series matches in Adelaide (26 January)and Melbourne (29 January) later this month.Gilchrist will instead remain in Perth throughout that time, before rejoining the squad in the lead-up to Australia’s match against India at Perth’s WACA Ground on 1 February.Twenty-six-year-old New South Welshman, Brad Haddin will be added to the squad for the two matches.The decision to leave Gilchrist out of the Adelaide and Melbourne matches was made by National Selection Panel Chairman Trevor Hohns in conjunction with Australian Team Management and Cricket Australia General Manager of Cricket Operations, Michael Brown.Trevor Hohns said: “As selectors we believe this break will benefit Adam as he sets himself for the rest of the VB Series and the challenging period that lies ahead.”Given the sheer intensity of his position, this break should present him with the chance to freshen-up and take stock from the stresses and strains that are part and parcel with a wicket-keeper’s job,” he said.Haddin, who is currently playing for New South Wales’ Speed Blitz Blues in Perth, has made just the one appearance for Australia at one-day international level, replacing Gilchrist for the Carlton Series match against Zimbabwe at Hobart in January 2001.He also toured with the Australian Test side in India in 2001, playing a first-class match against the Board President’s XI at Delhi as a replacement for Gilchrist who had suffered a hip injury.Upon Haddin’s selection, Hohns said: Jimmy Maher has performed well as a fill-in for Adam Gilchrist on recent Australian tours, but on this occasion we have decided to go with a recognised wicket-keeper.Brad Haddin’s all-round game has improved immensely over the past 12 months and we felt that he deserved this chance.

Lancashire 187 (Loye 59*) and 200 for 3 (Hooper 100, Sutcliffe 81*) lead Worcestershire 146 (Anderson 6-49) by 241 runs
Scorecard

It’s amazing what a winter’s rest can do for a jaded fast bowler. At the end of last season, James Anderson was a shadow of the red-streaked menace who swept all before him in a meteoric rise to stardom. But eight months and several frustrating hours of net practice later, he has once again been allowed to make his mark on a first-class match.After being kept on the sidelines throughout England’s triumphant Test series in the Caribbean, Anderson marked his Old Trafford homecoming with a first-innings haul of 6 for 49, including four wickets in six overs this morning. His efforts paved the way for a day of Lancastrian dominance, which was underwritten by the coolest of centuries from the former West Indian captain, Carl Hooper.Anderson’s great strength as a bowler is his ability to conjure wickets from nothing deliveries – although when the magic deserts him, it can often be his greatest failing as well. But from the second ball of the day onwards, when Kadeer Ali wafted a leg-side delivery through to Warren Hegg, Anderson was pre-destined to produce one of those typically irrepressible spells. He followed up with a searing yorker that splattered Nadeem Malik’s stumps (88 for 6), before pinning Gareth Batty in front for 0 (94 for 7). Andrew Hall dented his figures with a push for four and a slash that just evaded second slip, but when Andy Bichel had his off stump detonated for 3, Worcestershire were a perilous 102 for 8, having lost their last six wickets for 26.At this stage, there was no indication of just how serene Hooper and his sidekick, Iain Sutcliffe, would find the batting conditions later in the day. Hall and Steve Rhodes rode what was left of Worcestershire’s luck to reduce the deficit to a manageable 41, but in an ominous foreshadow of what might await them on the fourth day, it was the spinner Gary Keedy who applied the coup de grace. Hall smeared a slog-sweep to midwicket for 34, before Matt Mason toppled out of his crease to be smartly stumped by Hegg. In two mesmerically brief spells, Keedy had helped himself to 4 for 20.Lancashire began their second innings in a trance, as if they couldn’t believe they had been handed control of the match. They reached lunch unscathed, but the early introduction of Batty paid instant dividends, as Mark Chilton played back and was rapped on the pads for 12. And with Mal Loye still recovering from his back spasm, Stuart Law had not got off the mark when he flicked his third delivery, a leg-stump half-volley from Mason, tamely to Kadeer at square leg. Perhaps he had heard rumours that the England selectors were sniffing around the ground.At 32 for 2, Lancashire were one wicket away from relinquishing their grip on the game, and their engine room of Hooper and Law had contributed all of nine runs in three innings. It could mean only one thing. Hooper avoided his duck by depositing Batty for a one-bounce four, followed up with an uppercut to third man, and then left his crease once again for another lofted boundary. But he wasn’t satisfied with just a statement of intent – he was determined to make a speech. With Sutcliffe chugging along contentedly beside him, Hooper reigned in his attacking instincts, just as the sun burst through the cloud cover to transform the match conditions.After six consecutive maidens, Sutcliffe broke the deadlock with a sweet cover-drive for four, before Hooper square-drove Hall to move into the forties. The pair brought up their half-centuries in quick succession – Sutcliffe with a piercing extra-cover drive, Hooper with a tickled single to fine leg that typified an innings of uncommon patience.Worcestershire were devoid of ideas. Batty’s lack of variety was in stark contrast to the flight and invention shown by his opposite number Keedy, while the seamers could do no more than keep a tight line as the pitch lost its venom and the ball lost its shine. The only sniff of a chance came with Hooper on 99, when he all but ran himself out while sizing up a quick single to short third man. Next ball, however, he found the gap he had been aiming for, and trotted through to complete a fine century.Three balls later, Hooper gifted Worcestershire a late breakthrough as he chased a wide one from Bichel, but Sutcliffe and Keedy shut out the rest of the day. With a lead of 241 and seven wickets in hand, it will take an improbable chain of events for Lancashire to squander such a position of strength.

Scorecard

Jason Arnberger and Matthew Elliott led Victoria’s fightback after following on and trailed by just 12 runs at the end of the second day’s play at Brisbane.Arnberger and Elliott added 167 for the opening stand as Victoria made amends for their first-innings collapse. Elliott fell for 71, with only three overs to go for stumps, as he was caught behind off a Shane Watson leg-cutter.Queensland, though, had dominated the earlier part of the day and picked up two first-innings points. Joe Dawes led the rout with 5 for 54 as Victoria were shot out for 188, conceding a 183-run lead. Brad Hodge played the lone hand, with a defiant 61, with Cameron White chipping in with 44. Andy Bichel and Andrew Symonds snapped up two wickets apiece.

Samir Inamdar, the new chairman of the Kenya Cricket Association, has ruled out restoring central contracts for leading players, explaining that the association does not have the finances to do so.The main issue is that the KCA has no sponsor, and it has been advised by the Africa Cricket Association that it would be unwise to undertake the financial commitment of central contracts until one is found. The last official sponsor, Kenya Breweries, withdrew after the 2003 World Cup, and the internal wrangles which have dogged the KCA made attracting new investment almost impossible.The previous board did have players on contracts, but as funds ran out, pay cuts were implemented, and last October most leading names went on strike, alleging that money owed to them had not been paid. Given the dire state of the accounts inherited by Inamdar and his new board, reimbursement for monies owed is unlikely.”The new office has inherited heavy debts from the previous one” said Inamdar after meeting with the national team players last week. “If the players figures are to be believed the association owes them something to the tune of Shs 19,250,000 (US$ 250,000). We are also aware that KCA employees have not been paid for five months as well.”Inamdar and Tom Tikolo, the head of selectors, leave for London where they will meet with senior ICC officials later in the week. “We are going for a series of difficult meetings not only over funding but also over the one-day international status and the future of cricket in the country.” Inamdar said. “We expect to be in the United Kingdom for seven to eight days.”But he had some good news. He explained that Kenya had been offered non-financial support by South Africa. “They have promised to provide us with coaches and accommodation when our boys go there to play. South Africa have also said they could look into the possibilities of contracting our boys to play local South African league cricket.”

Scorecard

In a good close contest, Matabeleland beat Manicaland by 13 runs with three balls to spare at Mutare Sports Club. Mark Vermeulen, whose form has been inconsistent this year, led the way with an innings of 91, but it could be said that the match was settled by the inability of the Manicaland fielders to hold their catches.Matabeleland began their innings in fine style, with Terry Duffin (34) and the normally stolid Wisdom Siziba adding 73 for the second wicket in less than 11 overs, and then Vermeulen took over. The main beneficiary of the dropped catches, he stayed until the penultimate over, adding 101 for the fifth wicket with Charles Coventry (41), and ensured Manicaland faced a daunting target. There were three wickets each to Blessing Mahwire and Patrick Gada.Johnson Marumisa (66) gave Manicaland a sound start, and while Mahwire was at the wicket victory looked possible, as he boosted the middle order with a rollicking 58 off 43 balls. But tight bowling from Chris Mpofu (2 for 23) and Gavin Ewing (2 for 35) kept the pressure on the other batsmen, and Manicaland slowly slipped behind the clock.

The three-match one-day international series between Kenya and Bangladesh, originally set for Nairobi later this month, has been postponed by a further three weeks due to difficulty in raising funds to cover the costs of the trip.Cricket Kenya (CK) chief executive Tom Tikolo said they required about 13 million shillings (US$176,000) to host the Bangladeshi side, with half of the amount raised through television rights and the rest through sponsorship or Cricket Kenya.”We don’t have the money. But we are talking to a few sponsors,” said Tikolo. “We are still discussing with them and hopeful we will reach a deal within the next two weeks.”The series was initially scheduled for July 19, 21 and 23, but the matches will now be played on August 12, 13 and 15, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has since announced.Tikolo said CK had reached an agreement with the BCB to play the series in mid-August after Bangladesh complete their tour of Zimbabwe.However, he added Bangladesh would arrive in Kenya as scheduled on July 15 to hold their training and acclimatise for the five-match series against Zimbabwe which starts at Harare on July 29.