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Middlesex’s offspinning allrounder, Jamie Dalrymple, is in line for an Ashes debut at Sydney tomorrow, as England seek to avert their first Ashes whitewash for 86 years. Dalrymple, who has impressed in his 14 ODI appearances to date, was drafted into the Test squad as a replacement for Ashley Giles, who flew home during the third Test at Perth after a family illness.The SCG is a venue that traditionally favours the spinners, and with England’s tail in need of some bolstering after their limp displays in the first four Tests, Dalrymple is an ideal candidate for promotion. He averages 36.02 in first-class cricket with a highest score of 244, and England’s captain, Andrew Flintoff, indicated that he was firmly in the selectors’ thoughts.”Jamie is a good allround package and he’s shown that in the one-dayers,” said Flintoff. “He’s performed well with the ball and got important runs. He’s obviously a fine bowler and a capable batsman too. He’s started his one-day international career well and when people do that they want to get into the Test side and develop their games. Jamie is no different – I’m sure he’s got the attributes to do that.”If Dalrymple does play alongside Monty Panesar, it will be the first time that England have fielded two spinners in Australia since Eddie Hemmings partnered Phil Tufnell, also at Sydney, in 1990-91. “Historically this wicket has turned and two spinners have played on occasions,” Flintoff added, “so he is someone who will come into the equation when we come to pick a side for the Test match.”Flintoff, who is on the verge of an unwelcome place in the history books, was adamant that – regardless of the result in this final match – England will emerge stronger and wiser for their experiences in this most chastising of winters.”I’m sure everyone has learnt something about themselves that they can take on into their careers, into next summer and into 2009 when we next play Australia,” said Flintoff. “Most of the lads in this side are still young enough to be involved, provided they are performing. They’ll have learnt a hell of a lot on this trip and will take that into future Ashes series and future series.”

Ali Bacher, the former chief executive of the United Cricket Board, is making good progress after his second heart bypass surgeryBacher underwent heart surgery yesterday at the Morningside Medi-Clinic and according to the clinic he was “amazed” at how techniques had changed since his last heart bypass operation 25 years ago. “I really feel strong and healthy today,” he told staff.”Only one in 30 of our patients have bypasses these days. However, recent research has raised some questions about the long term durability of stents,” John Benjamin, Bacher’s cardiologist, told the news agency.”In Bacher’s unusual case, stenting his old bypass graft would have been technically simple, but we chose the long term proven safety of a modern arterial bypass instead,” added Benjamin. It was not immediately known when Bacher would be discharged.

Two members from each side spoke to the press at the end of the day and it was the one who hadn’t taken the field all day who caused all the mirth. Ravi Sawant, the vice-president of the Mumbai Cricket Association who is currently the manager of the Indian side, came out and said that Harbhajan Singh and Irfan Pathan weren’t dropped but “rested”. Even before the giggles had died down, he added that VRV Singh was in no way inexperienced and had played several times for India A.There are different ways to view this statement. Either Sawant was just coming to terms with his managerial role, having joined the team only for the Tests, or India were in fact adopting a rotation policy. If the first is true, can the Indian board realise it’s high time it had a full-time media manager? If not, will the team management have the courage to continue the process despite defeat? Some of these questions will be answered during the course of this Test, others will remain mysteries. As for VRV, even he will admit that he’s inexperienced. Let’s leave it there.Now to the cricket. Despite having a good day in the office, Brian Lara was a tad disappointed. “After the first few balls, I thought it was a 200 wicket,” he stated. “It was good to have them at 180 for 7 but it was a good stand between Anil [Kumble] and Sreesanth. They batted really well. We had a good day. But we kept them to below three runs an over. It was not good to give 50 runs in the first ten odd overs, and the bowling in the last part of the day was also not professional on our part. We did well in between to pull things back. We didn’t let the likes of [Rahul] Dravid to get away. [Mahendra Singh] Dhoni came in to get some runs going, and we were able to hold him as well.”Lara added that the pitch suited his set of bowlers but added that he’d ideally like his side to bat only once. “It was a very good toss to lose,” he continued. “I looked at the pitch and knew that there was something in it for the fast bowlers upfront. As the match goes on, there’s going to be some wear and tear and it’s a bit of a worry for the last innings. But if we make full use of our first innings and put the pressure on India and get in front in a big way, we can actually get an advantage.”I think it [the pitch] is going to play best over the next two days, so that’s when we’ll get a chance to bat. We need to take the responsibility and bat well. I think it’s going to gradually get tougher – there’s a lot of grass, lot of roots there – so it’s not going to be easier. I expect that to come to the surface and play a part. If we can settle our problems in the first innings itself, it will be good for us. As you can see, Dravid batted a lot of overs but never looked in. It’s that kind of pitch. We need to gain the psychological advantage and get ahead of them.”

Sialkot suffered a setback when they lost seven wickets for only 154 in their first innings against Karachi Harbour, at the National Stadium. After Karachi Harbour posted 293 yesterday, Sialkot were still 139 behind with only three wickets in hand.Anwar Ali scored his maiden first-class half-century, scoring 59 to take Karachi Harbour close to a total of 300. He scored seven fours and a six in his knock and his ninth-wicket partnership with fellow seamer Faraz Ahmed (16) was 63. Anwar then started Sialkot’s slump by trapping opener Atiq-ur-Rehman for a duck second ball. There were pockets of resistance later on, but none lasted long enough. Mohammad Ayub and Tariq Mahmood added 43 for the fifth wicket.With Shahid Yousuf having to retire hurt without scoring and seamers Faraz Ahmed and Uzair-ul-Haq bowling effectively, Sialkot don’t appear to have much of a chance to take the first-innings lead.Points for Karachi Harbour will help them hold on to their spot in the Gold League. They already appear to have avoided demotion to next season’s Silver League circuit.Karachi Urban held the upper hand with a first-innings lead of 154 after wrapping up Faisalabad for a modest 200 at the United Bank Limited (UBL) Sports Complex Ground No.1. The only real resistance from Faisalabad came from their captain Misbah-ul-Haq. Coming in at 22 for 2, remained unbeaten till the end with 83, off 161 balls with nine fours and a six. He also added 63 for the fifth wicket with Naved Latif (39) was significant.Faisalabad were tied down by offspinner Tahir Khan who took 4 for 64 in less than 20 overs. Seamer Imran Javed took 3 for 40 in 11 overs and young left-arm spinner Azam Hussain 2 for 54 in 21.Karachi Urban are currently at second place in the Gold League table behind Sialkot, who too have an identical points tally of 24. Karachi Urban will now most probably join defending champions Sialkot in the final, if they go on to beat Faisalabad here.No play was possible for the second day running in the match between Peshawar and Lahore Shalimar at the Arbab Niaz Stadium in Peshawar.

Durham have signed Shaun Pollock for the Twenty20 Cup in June. He will play alongside his former South African team-mate Albie Morkel and has joined the county as a Kolpak.Pollock retired from international cricket in February following the series against West Indies and is currently involved in the Indian Premier League for the Mumbai Indians.”When I got the offer from Durham I really jumped at the chance to get on board, they are determined to do well in the Twenty20 Cup and I want to contribute to that success,” said Pollock. “They proved themselves to be a force in the four-day and one-day game last year and I’m keen to help them replicate that success in the Twenty20 Cup.”David Harker, Durham’s chief executive, added: “Shaun is one of the biggest talents in world cricket and we’re delighted that he’s decided to join us. He’s got great experience in all formats of the game and we think he’ll bring a great presence to the team, both on and off the field. We’ve got big aspirations for success in the Twenty20 Cup this season and along with Albie [Morkel] I’m sure that we have recruited players with enough Twenty20 experience to help us progress in the competition.”Pollock has previously played for Warwickshire, where he made a stunning debut back in 1996 by claiming four wickets in four balls against Leicestershire in the Benson and Hedges Cup.

Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
How they were out

Some parsimonious bowling by their spinners and a Shahriar Nafees hundred helped Bangladesh defeat Zimbabwe by eight wickets in the fifth ODI at Harare. Though the hosts have won the series 3-2 this win helped Bangladesh salvage some pride.Bangladesh’s decision to play three spinners, led by the miserly Abdur Razzak, and buttressed by the presence of the part-time offspinner in Rajin Saleh, proved correct as the slow men applied a chokehold to reverse a solid start by Zimbabwe and to eventually restrict them to 197. Saleh, who ended with four wickets, reaped the fruits of the regular spinners’s labour.Zimbabwe, with the cushion of a series win behind them, had raced away to a comfortable position when Khaled Mashud, Bangladesh’s stand-in-captain for the injured Habibul Basher, went for his main weapon: spin. Eleven overs of medium pace had bled 59 runs before Razzak came on. The pitch held no great demons: there was no huge turn or magic balls. Varying his pace smartly he attacked the middle and off stump line. And with the ball not coming on and the spinners hitting the right line and the length, the batsmen struggled to force the pace. The run rate dropped, the pressure grew and the batsmen succumbed one after the other. Hamilton Masakadza put up a battle but, with his colleagues deserting him at regular intervals, he perished as well, hastening the end of the innings.Masakadza had nearly succeeded in breaking free when he hit Mohammed Rafique out of the attack with two stunning hits in the 21st over that erased the smiles from the Bangladeshi faces. He waltzed down the track and sent the ball screaming over long-off and immediately went for the cow corner in deep midwicket. But just when he had earned the license to go for the kill, he found himself bereft of support.Brendan Taylor, the third-match hero, crawled to a painful 24 off 71 balls, unable to strike out against the spinners. He struggled, especially, against the accuracy of Rafique, eking out only 8 runs from 30 balls. And it was not just Rafique; there was to be no relief from the other end as well. The third left-arm spinner, the young Saqibul Hasan, who replaced Shahadat Hossain for this match, was also miserly, and helped tighten the screws. Taylor struggled to rotate the strike back to Masakadza and eventually fell, trying to cut Razzak. The noose had begun to tighten.Elton Chigumbra, sent up the order to increase the tempo, combusted immediately on arrival. An under-pressure Mazakadza soon followed, playing across the line to Saleh and a run out saw another batsmen going down. Four wickets in the space of 13 runs and the spinners had Bangladesh on top. Saleh struck to the basics: kept the ball up, struck to an off stump line and watched as the tail fell, the last five wickets eked out only 25 runs.With Nafees leading the charge and Saleh chipping in with a crisp 37, Bangladesh moved along assuredly in their chase. Prosper Utseya gave Nafees a reprieve in the fourth over when he couldn’t quite hold on to a running catch off a mistimed pull. Nafees was off and running after that. He drove pleasantly and cut with panache to steer Bangladesh home.Earlier, Zimbabwe’s openers, especially Terry Duffin, had gone for the jugular, hitting on-the-up over cover, pulling and driving merrily down the ground. Lady luck humoured Zimbabwe as well: an inside-edged four, by Vusi Sibanda, started off the run-count, a couple of leading edges flew over the fielders and, keeping with the theme of the series, there was the usual drop by a butter-fingered Bangladeshi. In the second over, Sibanda threw his bat at a Farhad Reza delivery which was palmed off at first slip by Mushfiqur Rahim. Two cover drives off Raza – one was so fiercely whacked that nobody moved on the field – followed before Sibanda was done in by a clever bit of bowling from Syed Rasel. Rasel had kept bending the ball back into Sibanda before he suddenly slipped one across the body. A surprised Sibanda did not quite get behind the line, lunged forward and tried to leave the delivery at the last minute but failed.Duffin, who was getting increasingly edgy as the run-rate dropped, tried to hit out of trouble. First, he attempted an ugly hoick, failed, and then off the next ball fell trying to sweep as Razzak slipped one full and straight.Mazakadza’s was a serene effort. True, two savage hits off Rafique would lead the highlights package in news channels, but it was not the norm. He didn’t bludgeon his way around but chose to caress: dabbed a few to the off side, drove a few down the ground, swept to alter the length of the spinners, cut when there was the opportunity and, suddenly, his fifty was up. But with his team-mates struggling against nagging spin, the young Zimbabwe team could not conjure up another dreamy day of cricket.However, the series triumph has provided them considerable redemption in a turbulent period. With the ICC working out a timetable to put Zimbabwe back in Test cricket, this win could not have come at a better time.

Vusi Sibanda c Khaled Mashud b Syed Rasel 17 (45 for 1)
Terry Duffin lbw b Abdur Razzak 40 (79 for 2)
Brendan Taylor c Mashud b Razzak 24 (165 for 3)
Elton Chigumbura b Saqibul Hasan 0 (166 for 4)
Hamilton Masakadza b Rajin Saleh 75 (172 for 5)
Mufambisi run out 1 (178 for 6)
Prosper Utseya c sub (Alok Kapali) b Rajin Saleh 7 (189 for 7)
Matsikenyeri b Rajin Saleh 10 (189 for 8)
Anthony Ireland run out Syed Rasel/Khaled Mashud 3 ( 196 for 9)
Bangladesh
Rajin Saleh c & b Prosper Utseya 37 (99 for 1)
Aftab Ahmad st Taylor b Utseya 6 (128 for 2)

Yorkshire’s domination of the County Championship continued at the Groundsman of the Year Awards in Derby, as Andy Fogarty’s pitches at Headingley earned him the main prize for four-day cricket.Pitches are under more scrutiny than ever after ECB frustration over some groundsmen producing damp green surfaces to prop up their seam attacks leading to changes to the toss in 2016 to try to combat the practice.Fogarty, a Lancastrian who had worked under Peter Marron at Old Trafford before crossing the Pennines in 1996, won the same award in 2011.He was also commended in the category for one-day pitches, which was won by Somerset’s Simon Lee – who was runner-up in the four-day category.Yorkshire’s instructions to Fogarty are simple. Prepare a good pitch – but just give me pace and carry, is the gist of the information from the director of cricket Jason Gillespie.There was yet more recognition for Yorkshire in the outgrounds category as Scarborough’s John Dodds was runner-up to Bill Clutterbuck of Guildford, the venue for Surrey’s Championship match against Glamorgan. Stuart Kerrison (Colchester) and David Summersell (Uxbridge) were also commended.Every pitch is rated at the end of the match by each of the umpires with these ratings used as the basis for making the awards.Before the awards dinner a minute’s silence was held in memory of Harry Brind and Peter Marron, former winners with Surrey and Lancashire respectively who passed away in 2015.Awards:Four-day: Winner: Andy Fogarty (Headingley). Runner-up: Simon Lee (Taunton). Commended: Neil Godrich (Derby); Simon Williamson (Canterbury).One-day: Winner: Simon Lee (Taunton). Runner-up: Nigel Gray (Ageas Bowl). Commended: Steve Birks (Trent Bridge), Andy Mackay (Hove), Andy Fogarty (Headingley).Outgrounds: Winner: Bill Clutterbuck (Guildford). Runner-up: John Dodds (Scarborough). Commended: Stuart Kerrison (Colchester), David Summersell (Uxbridge).MCC Universities. Winner: Paul Derrick (Durham Racecourse). Runner-up: John Moden (Fenner’s).

Scorecard1st day

Although Bradman had revealed dazzling form in an inter-state match, his six innings against English bowling had been 3, 10, 36, 13, 18 and 23. It was obvious that, against the fast leg-side attack, he lacked his normal confidence. Bradman seemed jaded mentally – a condition to which a contributing factor was the stress of efforts to have his press contract sanctioned by the Board of Control. The result was that two doctors, who examined him on the eve of the Test, pronounced him not in a fit condition to play, although organically sound. Neither of the slow right-hand bowlers, Brown nor Mitchell, was included in the English XI, and the other four omitted were Tate, Duckworth, Bowes and Paynter. Magnificent bowling by Larwood, who dominated the attack, put England on top early. Several Australian batsmen wore chest-pads as well as thigh-pads, and there was an outcry about leg tactics, although Worrall, the former international, who is probably the soundest critic in Australia, wrote: “Larwood opened with an orthodox field and although later this was changed and he bowled outside the leg stump, it was legitimate fast bowling as far as he was concerned. Voce’s half-pitched slingers on the body-line provided about the poorest attempt at what should be Test bowling it is possible to conceive. Even Larwood bowled ten on the leg to one on the wicket, and Voce did not bowl half a dozen balls on the wicket in 24 overs.” Woodfull won the toss and although Ponsford made a determined stand until after lunch, Australia’s first four wickets fell for 87. Attempting an on stroke against one of Larwood’s straight balls, Ponsford moved too far across and left his leg stump open. In the next two hours, Richardson and McCabe carried on to 216. As the sting of the attack lessened, McCabe began to score freely with strong on strokes, cuts behind point, and good drives.Richardson was rather unluckily out at 216, for he hit a ball beautifully to square leg where Hammond brought off a fine catch. Oldfield never settled down, but Grimmett managed to stay, and when stumps were drawn the total was 290 for six, McCabe not out 127 and Grimmett not out 17.2nd day
When the game was resumed the English bowlers quickly met with success, but with Wall as his partner, McCabe by “death or glory ” methods scored with delightful freedom and hit up 60 in less than an hour before the innings closed. Wall’s share of the last wicket stand of 55 was only 4. McCabe batted four hours and hit 25 boundaries. The best batting he had shown on a good wicket was produced by Sutcliffe in an excellent opening partnership of 112 with Wyatt, who was confident with all the bowlers but Grimmett. When 43 Sutcliffe had a very narrow escape as he played a ball from O’Reilly onto his stumps without disturbing the bails, but at the drawing of stumps he was 116 not out, Hammond 87 not out, and the total 252 for one. Hammond was in his best form, his footwork against Grimmett being perfect and his driving most powerful. He reached his 50 in 57 minutes.3rd day
The wicket was still good when Sutcliffe and Hammond continued their partnership, which was not broken until 300 had been reached.Their stand of 188 for England’s second wicket surpassed the previous record of 152 by W. Gunn and Shrewsbury in 1893 at Lord’s. There were 15 boundary strokes in Hammond’s 112, and 13 in Sutcliffe’s 194, which occupied 7 hours and was the Yorkshireman’s individual record against Australia. The way for a colossal total was paved when the board showed 423 for 2, but Wall summoned up a great effort and when stumps were drawn the score was 479 for 6, Pataudi not out 80.4th day
Emulating Ranjitsinhji and Duleepsinhji, Pataudi gained the distinction of scoring a century in his first Test against Australia. Neat in his footwork, he was extremely cautious, and scored most of his runs behind the wicket. Australia’s hopes of making a fight were dashed by a disastrous opening in their second innings. McCabe and Richardson fell to successive balls from Hammond, and a stubborn 40 by Fingleton was to score. An innings defeat seemed likely, but Wall helped Nagel in a tail-end stand and 164 for 9 was reached at the close of play. Ames missed stumping Nagel and thus caused the game to last until the fifth day.5th day
After Allen had bowled a maiden to Nagel, Voce dismissed O’Reilly with his third ball with no addition to the score. Larwood was the outstanding figure of the England attack. His 49 overs for 10 wickets was a herculean effort. He stuck to his heavy duty with great heart, although troubled by a strained left side in the second innings. At one stage he had only two fieldsmen on the off side, and his control was as impressive as his pace. It was clear that the Notts fast bowler would be a match-winning factor for as long as he continued in this form. Australia’s steady and persistent bowling was better equipped with spin types, but contained nothing approaching the dynamic influence of a Larwood. To ensure that his energy would he conserved, he was not called on to bowl again until the second Test. In one spell Larwood bowled 10 overs for 17 runs and four wickets.

Sharad Ghai, the ousted Kenyan Cricket Association chairman, has said that he will not go to court to try to overturn the government’s decision to dissolve the board and replace it with an interim committee. There had been reports that he was intending to take the matter to court, as he successfully did in 2002 when the government attempted a similar manoeuvre.On Saturday, the embattled Ghai dismissed the government’s action as being unconstitutional, and insisted that the board was still in charge. But less than 48 hours later, he said that he would respect the government’s decision and hand over office to Ochillo Ayacko, the sports minister. “If you are out, you are out,” he was quoted as saying in a local newspaper. “But this should have been done in a dignified manner.”One senior administrator said that the he believed Ghai had decided to accept the move because, unlike in 2002, he had almost no remaining support within Kenyan cricket. Nevertheless, he admitted that it came “as a big surprise to me as Ghai is a person who would never cave in”.On Sunday, police visited the offices of the KCA at Ruaraka and put locks on all the doors. Employees of the board were unable to gain access when they reported to work on Monday.About the only voice to have spoken out in support of the old regime has been Joshua Okuthe, the chairman of the Kenya National Sports Council, but opponents have dismissed his involvement as being little more than cronyism.It has also emerged that last week the KCA was refused permission to use Nairobi’s Gymkhana ground, the country’s one international-class venue, for the forthcoming visit of the Nertherlands. The move came after months of disputes between the Gymkhana Club and the KCA over non-payment of debts. The venue was only freed for use during last summer’s A-team tournament after Ghai issued a personal cheque to pay for some of the arrears. The KCA has repeatedly refused to respond to request for arbitration, and one club official admitted: “I don’t see how Gymkhana will recover their money, as I do not think there would be any left in the bank during the handover.”The KCA is reported to be in serious debt, and with no sponsors and its only income coming from the ICC, he might well be right.

Vaughn van Jaarsveld, one of South Africa’s brightest batting prospects, is looking to combine playing at home for the Highveld Lions with a Kolpak career with Warwickshire. And his Johannesburg-based employers are not overly pleased with the idea.According to , van Jaarsveld is currently playing for the Warwickshire seconds on trial, “with a view to signing the talented South African left-handed batsman as a Kolpak player for next season”.van Jaarsveld is 22 and has been selected for an emerging players tour of Australia next month as part of South Africa’s high performance program. But after that he may make himself unavailable for national teams if he can get a Kolpak contract for the 2008 English season.Highveld Lions coach Gordon Parsons, the former Leicestershire and Warwickshire seamer, said Van Jaarsveld’s reported intentions were concerning, not just for the player’s future, but South African cricket as a whole.”I know that Leicester were interested in him because they’re looking for someone to bat at No. 4. Their overseas player has gone home or something. But Vaughn has not spoken to me at all about a Kolpak contract and I would be very disappointed if he didn’t speak to me about it. I would advise him not to do it at the moment.”But if he does get a Kolpak contract, that wouldn’t really affect his status with the Highveld Lions. But it would be a disaster for South African cricket because Vaughn’s a quality player. We’re not talking about older players here that are coming to the end of their careers – like a Lance Klusener, but a young player. Someone needs to do something about it because you’ve already got Jacques Rudolph going Kolpak, Ryan McLaren’s over there and now maybe Vaughn’s looking,” Parsons said.