Jacques Kallis has joined the South Africa one-day squad for the remaining two matches after recovering from an elbow injury, but it is likely that he will be saved for the three Tests. Kallis, who was forced off the tour of Australia by the problem, has made smooth progress with his rehabilitation and was tipped to return in the final two limited-overs games at Durban on Friday and Johannesburg on Sunday.The convener of selectors, Haroon Lorgat, said: “Jacques has made a steady recovery and it would be great if he were able to play on Friday as he is a key component in the squad, but we will not push him unnecessarily. It is crucial that he is 100 percent ready for the upcoming Test series.”Australia recovered from the two losses to start the five-match series with a more composed performance from their bowlers after reaching 6 for 254 with half-centuries to Ricky Ponting and Damien Martyn. Despite the setback Graeme Smith said his team was still confident.”Australia bowled well, especially in the first 20 overs,” he said. “We lacked a partnership up front. If we could have just got one partnership in our top five chasing 250, I think we would have cruised.”Brett Lee regained his spark with 4 for 48 in nine overs and added Smith’s wicket for the sixth time this summer. “You can never take him for granted,” Smith said. “Certainly we’ve had the better of him in the last few games and moving on to Durban it’s going to be another challenge.” The first Test starts at Cape Town on March 16.

Another learning experience? Give me a chance with that foolishness, you hear?In the aftermath of the West Indies tour of New Zealand, now is definitely not the time for the empty platitudes about absorbing the lessons of the latest disappointments, or that ever-popular ditty about leaving those setbacks in the past and looking forward to the next series.Even in the midst of a 4-1 whipping in the one-dayers and a 2-0 loss in the Tests, there have been encouraging signs. But those signs will not lead to real long-term progress unless everyone of influence in West Indies cricket is prepared to take the action necessary to build on whatever has been achieved during the seven weeks in the sport’s furthest frontier.Yes, there is a World Cup looming on the horizon. Yet even if it seems that any and everything being done in the region at the moment has some association with that monumental event less than a year away, the fact of the matter is that everything else in West Indies cricket does not come to a grinding halt until after that extravaganza is completed on April 28, 2007.Zimbabwe, whatever their internal troubles, are due here at the end of the month for five one-day internationals. They will want to show they are emerging from the mire that has resulted in their self-imposed suspension from Test cricket for a year.India, the increasingly aggressive power-brokers of the game, follow the southern Africans for another five ODIs followed by four Tests.With Trinidad and Tobago’s historic World Cup finals appearance coinciding with the Test series, it will be understandable if most attention here is focussed on the global footballing showpiece in Germany in June rather than on the cricketing contests in Antigua, St Lucia, St Kitts and Jamaica.Last year, there was no World Cup to divert attention, yet fans stayed away by the thousands for Pakistan’s Tests at Kensington Oval and Sabina Park. Caribbean impatience, frustration and anger had long been tempered by the conviction that somehow, sometime soon the beloved regional team would halt its steep decline since 1995 and begin the long journey back to respectability.Now that conviction has been replaced by widespread cynicism and, worse still, an increasing disinterest. To have to endure defeat after embarrassing defeat is bad enough. But for those losses to be cast against a backdrop of an administration crippled in debt, locked in a damagingly divisive sponsorship dispute with the players and-as ever-wracked by self-serving internal wrangling presented a repulsive image that forced many to turn away in disgust.And yet, after all of that, the West Indies could have come away from New Zealand with a shared Test series if they had held their nerve in Auckland, and what a tremendous lift to the spirit that would have given. That it didn’t happen, that the hugely advantageous positions in the one-dayers in Queenstown and Christchurch were not converted into victories, should confirm once and for all that this is not so much an issue of ability but mental toughness, of learning how to win again after a decade of relentless licks.Cultivating that habit once more on the field, and in the boardroom, requires strong leadership. How much more evidence is needed before it is realised that Shivnarine Chanderpaul has been harnessed with a burden he is incapable of carrying and, even worse, has taken an obvious toll on his ability to contribute with the bat?Who really believes that the hasty assessment of Bennett King, the head coach and his Australian staff was anything other than a smokescreen to divert attention from the captaincy issue?That the West Indies Cricket Board should commission such a useless, indeterminate exercise-on the eve of a tour of all times-suggests that Ken Gordon is as helpless as any other recent president in effecting real change in an organisation that continues to be populated at its decision-making level by members who see no further than the boundaries of their own constituencies.There is no quick fix, with King, Gus Logie or any other coach for that matter. But getting the ship back on course requires people at the helm who are agreed on the direction they should be heading.That direction must be towards rediscovering the commitment, discipline, dedication and pride that has defined West Indies cricket, until recently, as a standard to be admired, romanticised and emulated.Brian Lara’s berating of the New Zealand media for what he perceived to be their disrespect of West Indies cricket might have been justified. However, if the truth be told, the apparent disdain for the current team is due in large part to the fact that many of the local writers covering the tour were shocked and saddened by the performances of a team that was a pale reflection of a revered legacy.The organisers of the 2007 World Cup speak often of the legacy of state-of-the-art infrastructure and administrative efficiency as one of the most meaningful rewards of the event. But systems and structures are essentially hollow without pride and passion.As with any other endeavour that we hold dear to our hearts, it is the people who make the difference. People who can lead. People who can inspire.Real leaders. This is what we need to make a real difference in West Indies cricket.

Scorecard

Bangladesh secured their third straight win against Kenya, and in so doing won the four-match series, but it was their least convincing performance to date, and for a time Kenya even threatened to pull off a remarkable comeback after being down and out halfway through their innings.In the end, Kenya’s middle and lower order were left with too much to do, but well-paced contributions from Collins Obuya (45) and Tanmay Mishra ensured that the home supporters had to endure more than a few anxious moments. Only when Mishra became the fourth of Mohammad Rafique’s five victims with 25 needed from 11 balls could they finally relax.A win is a win, but Dav Whatmore will be disappointed at what was a below-par performance after two games in which Bangladesh underlined the gulf in class between them and the Kenyans. At times today they appeared complacent, and they almost paid for that.Their innings stuttered in the early stages against some tight bowling, and it took some enterprise from Aftab Ahmed to ease the shackles. But his dismissal, chancing his arm once too often, triggered a wobble, engineered by the impressive Peter Ongondo, which reduced Bangladesh to 65 for 4. Shahriar Nafees steadied the ship, adding 70 for the fifth wicket with Mohammad Rafique, who chipped in with a 33-ball 31.

Steve Tikolo, back in the side after a viral infection forced him out of the previous match, dismissed Nafees for 57 just after the halfway mark, but that only increased the run-rate as Alok Kapali, possibly the last-ever Supersub, and Khaled Mashud (39 from 51) put on a breezy 89 to enable Bangladesh to post 231. Whereas in the first two matches Kenya’s bowling deteriorated in the latter stages, with Tikolo maintaining the pressure with his offspin, Bangladesh were bowled out with more than four overs to spare.Given the pattern of the first two meetings, that did not seem vital at the time, and Kenya’s start was equally unconvincing as they slipped to 79 for 4 midway through their innings. After losing the out-of-sorts Kennedy Otieno and David Obuya early, they made steady headway thanks to Tikolo and Hitesh Modi, but were never able to get on top of the bowlers.Syed Rasel, the pick of the Bangladesh attack in the first two games, was bowled through his 10 overs, but it was Abdur Razzak who took the key wicket of Tikolo, a superb catch off his own bowling. Tikolo stood his ground, probably more through disappointment as there was little doubt about that the low chance had been cleanly taken.Hitesh Modi followed soon after, trapped leg before by Mohammad Rafique, and as the asking rate crept past a run a ball, that appeared to be that. However, Obuya, whose bowling remains unconvincing despite time spent with Terry Jenner last year, showed he remains a useful batsman, and he found a doughty ally in the precocious Mishra. Together they not only ensured the margin of defeat was small, but also – briefly – threatened something more dramatic.

Division One

3rd day
Hampshire are strongly placed heading into the final day at Edgbaston, after Shane Warne set up his side with 5 for 52 to dismiss Warwickshire for 217 in their first innings. Warne then set Warwickshire a mountainous 407 after Hampshire raced to 218 for 6 declared with James Adams leading from the front – he made 85 in just 105 balls, including five fours and three sixes. By the close, Warwickshire had managed to crawl to 69 for 2, still 338 runs adrift. In their first innings Warwickshire’s lower order subsided under the force of Warne’s assault, losing Dougie Brown early and then the last four wickets fell for 13 runs.2nd day
Darren Lehmann, who hit 25 fours, fell seven runs short of a double century as Yorkshire and Kent piled on the runs at Headingley. Yorkshire made 382 before Kent’s Robert Key and David Fulton put on 153 in a commanding opening stand. They each made fifties, but Yorkshire took three quick wickets to leave Kent on 196 for 3 by the close.Graham Onions took 4 for 82 as Middlesex‘s batsmen failed to cut the mustard against Durham. Owais Shah top scored with 68 but threw his wicket away as Middlesex were bowled out for 242, handing Durham a first-innings advantage of 106. By the end of the day Durham had stretched their lead to 186 runs and, with eight wickets left, they will be confident of boosting that to well over 400.3rd day
Not a great day for Chris Read nor for his county, Nottinghamshire, who slipped to a 41-run defeat against Sussex. After battling their way back into the game, Sussex went on to record a cracking win set up by Rana Naved-ul-Hasan (4 for 29) and Jason Lewry (3 for 23). Mushtaq Ahmed also contributed 3 for 58 to bowl out Notts for 120 and consign the champions to what had seemed to be an unlikely defeat. Resuming on 111 for 3 this morning, Sussex made it to 247 thanks to a vital 42 from Matt Prior, leaving Nottinghamshire to chase 161. But their innings was in immediate disarray when Jason Gallian had to retire hurt on 10. As wickets tumbled he made a return to the crease, only to fall for 15 (148 for 7). A ninth-wicket stand of 68 between Ryan Sidebottom and Mark Ealham, who made 52, briefly gave Notts promise, but was not enough.

Division Two

3rd day
Leicestershire continued to pile on the pain for Glamorgan, forcing them to follow on after bowling them out for 297 in reply to 525. By the close Glamorgan had made 37 for 1 and still required a further 191 runs to take them to parity. Today it was Claude Henderson who did the damage, with 4 for 77. Daniel Cherry and Michael Powell made half-centuries for Glamorgan, but their team will need more strong batting performances tomorrow to save the game.2nd day
Four players recorded centuries on day two as Somerset and Essex piled on the runs in their match at Taunton. Keith Parsons (153) and Peter Trego (102) took their seventh-wicket stand to 202 before a late flurry of wickets as Somerset made 471. Andrew Caddick then placed Essex in danger of following-on by reducing the visitors to 80 for 3 in reply. But the experienced campaigners Andy Flower (104 not out) and Ronnie Irani (108 not out) steadied the ship in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 202 as Essex closed on 282 for 3.Northamptonshire must have wished that Jon Lewis had been called into the Test side as he wrecked their top order at Bristol with a thrilling 4 for 35 from 16 overs. Northamptonshire now have a lead of 100 runs but just one wicket in hand, and Gloucestershire will back themselves to register their second win of the season tomorrow.Derbyshire continued to go from strength to strength in their match against Worcestershire. They lost Steve Stubbings before the close but are still strongly placed, at 54 for 1, a lead of 114 runs. Vikram Solanki struck a century and Steven Davies made 49 to take Worcestershire to 278, a first-innings deficit of 60. Ian Hunter led the rallying call with 4 for 92, while Steffan Jones added 3 for 58 to hand Derbyshire the advantage.

ScorecardIndia A are chasing 205 for victory on the final day of the four-day Top End Series match against New Zealand A at Darwin. Rudra Pratap Singh, the left-arm fast bowler with international experience, produced a fine bowling display to dismiss New Zealand for just 153 in their second innings after Tejinder Pal Singh and Rohit Sharma boosted India to 280.RP Singh bowled very well in the first-innings but had only the one wicket to show for it; today, he gained sufficient swing and turned in an even better showing that put New Zealand in a tizzy. Michael Papps was trapped lbw for 4 early, Gareth Hopkins was cleaned up beautifully, and Chris Martin was forced to nick one to Robin Uthappa. Rob Nicol, who top-scored with 55 to prop his side to a semi-decent total, was caught-and-bowled. The last three wickets fell for just two runs.The day began with India on 6 for 209, following which Tejinder and Sharma extended their stand to 115 before Jeetan Patel, the offspinner, bowled Sharma through the gate for 57. The last three batsmen failed to assist Tejinder, who had to use the long handle to push the scoring along. He was eventually dismissed caught behind off Mark Orchard’s right-arm medium pace. Piyush Chawla, the young legspinner, made it seven wickets for the match as he snapped up the most crucial duo of Matthew Sinclair and Craig McMillan.India were 0 for 1 at stumps.

Shahriyar Khan, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, is hoping one of England’s greatest glovemen can help faltering wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal regain his form behind the stumps.Shahriyar is hoping Bob Woolmer, Pakistan’s coach, can persuade one or other of Bob Taylor (174 dismissals in 57 Tests) or Jack Russell (165 in 54), two of England’s best keepers of modern times, to work with Akmal. Akmal has missed several chances during the ongoing series against England, including two routine efforts off Marcus Trescothick in the third Test at Headingley when the opener was in single figures before making a second innings 58. Pakistan lost that match by 167 runs and with it the series as England went 2-0 up with one to play.”Kamran Akmal is one of our finest players and Rodney Marsh – one of Australia’s greatest glovemen – said he was the best wicketkeeper in the world last year,” Shahriyar told bigstarcricket.com. “He’s had a bad tour but he will be back. I’m going to ask Bob [Woolmer] if he can ask Bob Taylor or Jack Russell to work with him. I always thought that both of those guys were superb keepers. Kamran just needs a good match and a return to confidence.”Meanwhile, Shahriyar has also backed Woolmer and Inzamam-ul-Haq despite Pakistan’s first Test series loss in 18 months. Pakistan cricket politics usually demand major changes after a series reverse but Shahriyar said he would resist calls for vice-captain Younis Khan to replace Inzamam as captain. “We aim to remain steady and calm,” he said. “Last time we lost a series, the manager was sacked, and the captain (Mohammad Yousuf in Australia) was sacked. We don’t believe in that.”There are just a couple of things that have prevented us from moving forward. We have struggled to find opening batsmen, and have been unlucky with Shoaib Malik’s injury. Hopefully he will return for the one-day series, while Mohammed Hafeez is also looking good having scored runs for the A team in Australia.”

If you have any left after the injuries and absences that have ravaged England and Pakistan, spare a thought also for Sussex. Fighting for room at the top of the County Championship, they are resigned to be without the cheery – and startlingly effective – presence of Rana Naved-ul-Hasan for the season.They could also lose out on the services of their talisman Mushtaq Ahmed, should Pakistan choose to test whether he can beguile England’s international batsmen as much as he does their county counterparts. And now, having smartly covered the potential absence of both by recruiting Yasir Arafat, Pakistan’s allrounder forever on the fringes of national selection, they might conceivably lose his services as well at some point this season.Arafat is an allrounder of typically Pakistani ethos; ideal for ODI cricket but capable of spectacular feats in Test matches. And though useful as a lower-order plunderer, his bowling remains his stronger suit. His type of straight, full, skiddy bowling accounted for Andrew Flintoff’s wicket at an ODI in Pakistan last year, nine wickets against England in a warm-up game during the series and five wickets in six balls in a domestic game in December 2004 (four of the five were either leg-before or bowled), a feat performed by only three other bowlers. His experience of English conditions has also borne fruit; in three county matches for Sussex this season, he has already taken 17 wickets (two five-wicket hauls) and scored two fifties. The performances haven’t gone unnoticed.”We have considered him and his name has come up in discussions but no decision has been taken yet,” Bob Woolmer told Cricinfo. “Because of the nature of our injuries many players will be talked about, discussed. Ultimately we have to do as well as we can with what we have.”With concerns over Abdul Razzaq’s fitness heightened after the drawn first Test at Lord’s, Arafat’s chances of being called up would have increased. But Zaheer Abbas, Pakistan’s manager, confirmed that Razzaq is likely to play at Old Trafford. Abbas told that Razzaq had started running at the weekend and is expected to take part in nets at Old Trafford. These nets will decide whether or not Razzaq has overcome the back strains that have afflicted him since the final day of the first Test.”We will have our first nets at Old Trafford tomorrow and Razzaq is supposed to take part. It would be there we will know whether he has fully recovered from a back problem,” Zaheer said. “Razzaq is keen to play and I am sure that he would work hard to get fully fit for the next match.”Apart from the return of Younis Khan it is unlikely too many changes will be made after just one Test. If there are any more injuries – and that is hardly unlikely over this summer – who knows. Wasim Bari, chief selector, confirmed to Cricinfo that no requests had been made by the team management for any back-up or replacements. “We have told them just to inform us if they feel they require a certain player but at the moment nothing has been said.”Though Arafat might not mind it too much, Pakistan will keep their fingers crossed that Bari receives no SOS calls between now and Thursday when the second Test begins. Ditto Sussex.

Aleem Dar, one of two Pakistani umpires on the ICC’s Elite Panel, has said that Pakistan’s decision to protest and stay off the field on the fourth day of the fourth Test at the Oval last week, was wrong and may harm the game in the long-term.Pakistan refused to take the field after Darrell Hair penalized them for ball tampering, a decision which ultimately led to the Test being forfeited. But Dar told Cricinfo: “There are other ways of protesting and the avenue they chose I believe was the wrong one. Strictly according to the law, the decision is correct.”Opinion on Pakistan’s decision to protest and refusal to come out after tea has been mixed. The protest galvanized much of the nation; it was seen by many as a protection of their honour. But some ex-players, such as Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram have struck discordant notes; the latter two agree with Dar in that it shouldn’t have happened at all.”The problem is that if one country attempts it, then others will follow and that cannot be good for the game in the long-run,” Dar said.Dar also argued that the spotlight has unfairly focused on Hair, after the Test became the first in the history of the game to be forfeited. “It is not about one umpire. It can’t be about just one. Both umpires and even those off the field are involved. Those decisions on ball tampering and the forfeit were not taken by Hair alone.”

Much fury in Pakistan has been vented at the lack of evidence with regards to the charge of ball tampering, the incident at the very root of the hullabaloo. That is to miss the point, as Dar points out. “There doesn’t seem to be video evidence but we must remember that no evidence is required. It could be that Pakistan is right and they didn’t do anything but as an umpire that is your decision.”The lack of video evidence suggests that the state of the ball, already 56 overs old when it was changed, will become crucial when the hearings are eventually held for Inzamam-ul-Haq. There is uncertainty whether evidence of tampering can be proved just by inspecting the ball; Aaqib Javed is adamant that you can but others are not so sure.Dar, diplomatically, hedged his bets. “You can tell sometimes that tampering has occurred, depending on the level of it. On a new ball obviously it is easy to say if something has been applied to it. On an older ball it becomes more difficult but not impossible. As I say, it depends on other things. But the umpires can check at any time they want.”Dar was understandably reluctant to talk of Hair’s attitude and the subsequent revelation that he had offered to resign in return for a US$500,000 pay-off. He did suggest, however, that the whole situation – from the ball tampering penalty to the eventual forfeit – might have been handled differently by other umpires. “It’s important to remember the decisions themselves weren’t wrong. But it depends on your personality how you handle it. The situation could’ve been handled better.”Dar is regarded by many to be the second best umpire in the world behind the Australian Simon Taufel. But if the last week has posed any sort of dilemma at all for him – torn between his profession and his country – then he’s not letting on.

Pakistan are hoping that Shabbir Ahmed, the right-arm seamer, will be cleared by ICC for their tour of South Africa early next year.Shabbir was banned for 12 months for an illegal action after he was reported twice in 2005, the second time coming after the first Test against England at Multan in November. An appeal to get him cleared by the PCB failed.”His ban ends on December 18 before that we will send him to Australia next month to undergo a biomechanical test to confirm there is an improvement in his action,” a board spokesman told Reuters.”We have got an appointment with specialists in Australia and hopefully their report would satisfy the ICC.”Shabbir, who has taken 51 wickets in 10 tests, has had problems with his action since his debut in 1999.

Scorecard

Chris Simpson turned from villain to hero for Queensland, claiming four wickets in their win over New South Wales after earlier losing his wicket in one of the strangest run-out scenarios possible. Simpson’s 4 for 34 put the run-chase of 240 out of reach for the Blues, who scrambled to 8 for 215 only through a late 52 not out from Jason Krejza.New South Wales were in a reasonable position at 2 for 101 after 25 overs but when Brad Haddin (29) hooked an Andy Bichel bouncer into the hands of Ashley Noffke at fine leg things fell apart. Simpson picked up four important middle-order wickets which, combined with Daniel Christian’s 41 from 95 balls – too slow under the circumstances – made the chase very tough for New South Wales.The Blues had nobody but themselves to blame after letting Queensland off the hook in the dying overs of their innings. Noffke (28 not out from 13 balls) and Bichel (26 off 12 balls) smashed 47 runs from the last three overs to help the Bulls to 9 for 239. The pair, together with Clinton Perren (69), undid much of the damage caused in part by Nathan Bracken’s miserly 1 for 12, the tightest ten-over spell by a New South Wales bowler in a domestic one-day game.Run-outs plagued the Queensland innings and Simpson’s was the most bizarre. When Jimmy Maher played and missed at a Bracken delivery, Haddin took the ball and held it for a few seconds, then rolled it down the pitch and hit the stumps at the bowler’s end. Simpson, who was wandering aimlessly outside his crease but not attempting a run, was out for 0 and the Bulls were 2 for 14.The New South Wales captain Simon Katich said the late blitz by Noffke and Bichel hurt the Blues but their own batsmen were also to blame. “Guys got starts and kept getting out,” Katich said. “We just needed somebody to go on and get probably 70 or 80.”